Neeraj Kant’s Directorial Genius Unveiled in Balwant Thakur’s ‘Inqlaab’ at Rani Park, Jammu’s Sunday Theatre Series

Set in an unconventional alternative theatre style, the play opens with a group of youth representing the larger human resource of the country shown as extremely disillusioned and pessimistic about the system. Everyone has a horrifying story to share and disseminate aimed at shaking the masses about the current state of affairs. Dejected and demoralized with the peak corruption of all kinds, nepotism, maladministration, kleptocracy, and anarchy, all are desperately looking for a way to set the system right. At this stage where they have totally lost faith in the system including in themselves, they are shown prone to separatist elements. Finding them in a surrendered state, the anti-nationals prompt them to start an arms struggle, and others push them to restore to vandalism to take revenge on the corrupt system. Aware of the end result of such misadventures, few still hope to find an amicable way. In this total state of uncertainty and to be or not to be the situation, there emerges a saviour who is in possession of a non-violent invisible missile. Curious to know about this invisible supernatural weapon all succumb before this savior to seek hold over that missile. He surprises everyone by showing them a small piece of paper where the power of a single ‘Vote’ is described elaborately. Terming that as the most powerful invisible non-violent weapon of the citizen of a democratic nation, he prompts them to use this in a rightful manner, ensuring a system of their dreams and aspirations in place. He illustrates further that a new revolution ‘Inqlaab’ aimed at changing the fate of this nation is possible, provided we all vote and that too without any fear,  influence, fully valuing the power of your finger. He concludes with the poem of Guru Rabindranath Tagore “Where the mind is without and head is held high….let my country awake”.

The artists who enlivened this empowering theatre included Neeraj Kant, Palshin Dutta, Kananpreet Kaur, Arun Sharma, Aadesh Dhar, Vansh Pandotra, Sanket Bhagat, Priya Kashyup, Payal Khanna, Vishal Sharma and Kushal Bhat. The music of the play was operated by Mohd. Yaseen whereas the show was coordinated by Subash Jamwal and Chaitanaya Shekhar.