Playwright: P. L. Deshpande
Director: Shriniwas Narwekar
Group: Vision, Mumbai
Language: Marathi
Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins
The Play
Ek Zunj Varyashi (A fight with the wind) is a critically acclaimed play. An anonymous common man seeks an appointment of a minister and point blank demands his resignation with supportive evidences, for the injustice done with some other person. Arguments, cross-arguments between them leads the main body of this classic play, whose soul being the machination of political & bureaucratic system, highlighting the destructive characteristic of human nature. It is an adaptation of Russian playwright Vladen Dozortsev’s The Last Appointment adapted by legendary Marathi playwright P. L. Deshpande.
Director’s Note
The original play, written 40 years back, reflects the socio-political conditions which have remained the same all these years. The reason why I chose to perform and direct it is its timeliness. The past tendencies remain unchanged in the present. Secondly, this is a real time performance. The duration of the events that take place is equal to the duration of the play! It is a challenge and privilege to convey its meaning through performance.
The Director
Born in Mumbai, Shriniwas Narwekar’s accomplishments, participation and activism span across arts, literature, journalism and cinema for last 29 years. He is a playwright, story writer, screenplay writer-director, translator, copy-writer, columnist, and satirist. He delivers lectures in theatre and film workshops on voice-culture, movement, film appreciation, script and story writing. He has also been writing short stories, satirical columns, articles in various newspapers, focusing on contemporary issues. Shriniwas has been felicitated with various awards for his contribution in these fields. He was a member of an advisory committee (Drama) of Goa Kala Academy and visiting faculty for Academy of Theatre Arts at University of Mumbai.
The Playwright
Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande, popularly known as ‘P. L. Deshpande’ or ‘Pu La’ was a Marathi writer and humourist from Maharashtra. He was also an accomplished film and stage actor, script writer, author, composer, musician, singer and orator. His works have been translated into many languages. He was particularly well-known for his humourist literature. He produced several original works and also adapted prominent literary works from other languages into Marathi. He has a versatile literary repertoire of more than 90 books that include drama, essays, stories, profiles, films, travelogues, biographies, one-act plays and children’s plays. He is called a pioneer of one-man stage shows. The play Ek Zunj Varyashi is an adaptation of The Last Appointment by Soviet playwright Vladlen Dozortsev. The latter was an activist author. His works contend with the prevailing socio-political culture and transitions in Soviet Russia. This particular play was written in the crucial upheavals of Perestroika, Russia.
The Group
Vision, Mumbai is an amateur group active since 2015, and is an offspring of the group Natya Vilas which has been active since last 25 years. It is the group’s innovative vision that propels literature and theatre-based projects. The group has won several competitions. It has produced one and two-act plays. To be precise, Vision is based on a movement that keeps theatre and literature alive, lively and kicking.
Cast & Credits
| Dr. Deshmukh | Deepak Karanjikar |
| Dr. Choudhary | Ashutosh Ghorpade |
| A Common Man | Shriniwas Narwekar |
| Chitra | Shobhana Mayekar |
| Set | Baba Parsekar |
| Lights | Siddhesh Nandlaskar |
| Make-up | Ulesh Khandare |
| Costumes | Shriniwas Narwekar |
| Music Operator | Abhilesh Sarpadwal, Sagar Pawar |
| Backstage Management | Prasad Sawardekar, Deepak Joil, Ninad Panchal |
| Set Management | Satish Kalbande |
| Calligraphy | Sunil Devlekar |
| Manager | Rakesh Talgaonkar |
| Production Controller | Nishant Ghatge |
| Producer | Shriniwas Narwekar |
| Marathi Adaptation | P. L. Deshpande |
| Direction & Background Score | Shriniwas Narwekar |
Contacts
Vision, Mumbai
Birje House, Gr. Floor,
Prof. V.S Agashe Path,
S Gokhale Road (S), Dadar (West)
Mumbai- 400 0285
Ph: 022-24212958
M: +91 9322492630, 9594191198
E: shriniwasnarwekar@gmail.com,
