2 weeks ago
Gandhi and Tagore's forgotten conversations come alive on stage
A long time ago, two famous Indians named Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore were friends.
They respected each other very much, but they did not always agree.
They had different ideas about freedom, education, and how to change society.
They talked and wrote letters to each other for almost 25 years.
Now, a play called "The Prophet and the Poet" tells their story.
The words in the play come from Gandhi's and Tagore's own letters and writings.
The play will be shown in the city of Pune on August 15.
The people who made the play did not want actors to dress up like Gandhi and Tagore.
Instead, the actors learn about these great leaders along with the audience.
The play hopes to help young people get to know these important figures from India's history.
"The Prophet and the Poet," a play based on Gandhi and Tagore's correspondence, will be performed in Pune for the first time on August 15.
The play was created by Bangalore Little Theatre and was written and directed by Vijay Padaki.
Minti Jain is the narrator, while Naveen Tater and Karan Singh play actors who study Gandhi and Tagore respectively.
No actors portray Gandhi and Tagore on stage; instead, the actors rediscover the historical chapter as themselves.
Gandhi and Tagore exchanged views for nearly 25 years, often disagreeing on nationalism, freedom, education, and the means of social change.
- Who
- Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, whose exchanges inspired the play, along with playwright-director Vijay Padaki and Bangalore Little Theatre.
- What
- A stage production titled "The Prophet and the Poet," based on the Gandhi–Tagore correspondence, will be performed for the first time in Pune.
- Where
- Pune.
- When
- August 15.
- Why
- To bring the forgotten Gandhi–Tagore conversations alive and introduce the two figures to a younger generation of viewers.
Key facts
- Play
- The Prophet and the Poet
- Premiere
- August 15, first performance in Pune
- Company
- Bangalore Little Theatre
- Playwright/Director
- Vijay Padaki
- Narrator
- Minti Jain
- Cast
- Naveen Tater and Karan Singh
- Gandhi–Tagore exchanges
- Lasted nearly 25 years
- Source material
- Gandhi's and Tagore's own writings and public exchanges
Quotes
Vijay Padaki
Playwright and director of Bangalore Little Theatre
“"Early exercises in the team’s work led to a few important insights and decisions regarding the scripting. Firstly, accept the challenge of reaching a generation of viewers for whom Gandhi is a Plaster of Paris figure, taken out and dusted on two to three occasions in the year, and Tagore is largely unknown, except as the author of the National Anthem."”
indianexpress.com
“"We put the actors on stage in the shoes of the audience—rediscovering an important chapter in India’s modern history. That meant not portraying Gandhi and Tagore on stage. This would actually make the actors’ task more demanding, recreating the excitement of historical moments as themselves."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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