It is one of the most beloved musicals worldwide, Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein originated in Broadway and it explores family, faith and tension of maintaining traditions against modernity. A few years ago, this musical was given new life in a local setting as Jathegiruvanu Chandira that is Kannada adaptation by Jayanth Kaikini.
Kaikini’s adaptation has seen Hulugappa Kattimani, a senior Kannada theatre maker and actor who has directed Jathegiruvanu Chandira for more than 5 theatre troupes including prison inmates. The one at Ranga Shankara will be his latest version of the play which will be presented on August 21st at 7:30 pm.
Relocation
The story in this play moves to post-independence India with Bade Miyan, a Muslim bakery owner set against the backdrop of migration and partitioning. Bade Miyan however faces an increasing number of suitors he cannot agree on with them concerning marriage terms as time goes by. He allows all his daughters marry whoever they like despite external pressures with Saira his youngest daughter choosing interfaith marriage.
Meanwhile for Bade Miyan partition forced him to vacate from his home “In the original book, father although accepted that her daughter is involved in relationships with a boy from another community never spoke to her again because of that reason. However I wanted to break away from my father-daughter relationship issues so I added one more scene at the end where her father accepts her love, he meets his daughter,” Mr Kattimani explains.
Play disrupted
While there have been over five theater groups staging this show for two decades now; it made news during July 2022 after getting disrupted midway through an exhibition in Shivamogga. In Soraba taluk some members from Bajrang Dal & Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on July 6 forcefully entered the auditorium and interrupted the play when it was going on claiming that the artists were propagating Islamic practices, interfaith marriages and “Love Jihad”.
“Two years of protests had no impact on us, still didn’t change anything in this play. Kuvempu’s thoughts about ‘Viswhwa Manava’, I will never let go of these wherever I direct the play to or for whom. We are all one and this play keeps asserting that,” added Kattimani.
The latest production of Jathegiruvanu Chandira has been made with a set of actors all hailing from Bengaluru, including senior theatre maker and actor Mangala N.
End of the Road
Kattimani was asked about his experiences in directing this play in a different group during those years and he said that he is happy with the results now and wants to close this journey. “It’s always been a pleasure working on this play for various theatre groups, even jail inmates. Every time I tell Jayant Kaikini that am directing it again, he says ‘I have a Vikrama-Bethala relationship with this play’. Acting in this play has been my lifelong regret, I finally had the time and the opportunity to act in it now and I feel satisfied. Kannada journey must end and probably this is going to be my last time direct Jathegiruvanu Chandira,” he concludes.
These tickets are available at Ranga Shankara box-office or can be bought online at BookMyShow.
