Play Review – Chakravyuh – Direction – Rating 5 Stars
Atul Satya Koushik has hit the bull’s eye once again with Chakravyuh.
By Aryeman
Writer-director Atul Satya Koushik has hit the bull’s eye once again. His play ‘Chakravyuh’ may have toured most parts of India but the audiences at The Royal Opera House, Mumbai, were surely star-struck with the magnanimous performances by his entire team. The grandeur, the meticulous perfection, the effective story-telling mode – sums this theatrical performance as a Magnum Opus which is on par with international standards.
As a director, Atul has ensured that every scene chosen is crisp and engages the audiences. The messages that unfurl in the second half hold relevance in today’s times too. Every fine detail (be it the plush backdrops, the extravagant costumes relevant to the era, the background score coupled with effective lighting techniques) is pitch-perfect. The dialogues (in poetic verse) are not over-the-top and in lucid form.
Having earlier reviewed two of Atul’s plays, ‘Chakravyuh’ surely blitzkriegs an awakening of a polished, seasoned theatre director who knows the pulse of the audiences. This venture is surely notches above the other plays (with grandeur galore) which lack the emotional essence to garner the empathy quotient from the audiences.
A point to add here is the equalization of performance oriented characters for the entire acting team. Each one has that ‘dhamakedar’ punch-in-the-face moment in which they excel in.
Great job, Atul Satya Koushik! This masterpiece will remain a milestone moment with the Indian Theatre circuit.
