|
Dance Drama performance that combines dance,
drama, music
and song. Early drama was similar to dance drama, combining narrative,
song and dance, but modern Bengali dance drama is predominantly the contribution
of rabindranath
tagore. His dance dramas, such as Chandalika, Shyama,
Chitrangada, use dances set to beautiful songs to convey Tagore's
humanism. uday
shankar modernised the Tagore tradition towards the middle
of the twentieth century. Tagore's dance drama is essentially based on
songs, while Uday Shankar's dance drama is dominated by background music.
Uday Shankar became famous by adapting Tagore's poems Samanya Ksati
(A Small Loss) and Abhisar (The Tryst) into dance drama in
1961 on the occasion of the Tagore birth centenary in Calcutta. Among
Uday Shankar's other well-known dance dramas are Kalpana (Imagination)
and Labour and Machine.
Up to the Partition of the subcontinent in 1947, Bengali
dance drama was influenced by the Tagore tradition and Uday Shankar's
modern techniques. The creation of Pakistan did not eliminate the influence
of Tagore, though the attempt to portray a 'Pakistani' culture led to
the creation of dance dramas such as Shashi Pannu, based on a love
story from West Pakistan, Omar Khaiyam, based on the life
of the famous persian
poet, and Anarkali, based on the story of Prince Salim and Anarkali.
The growing Bangladeshi nationalism of the sixties, however, soon started
to make its impact on dance drama, with themes being drawn from social
and political issues.
The first
dance drama staged in East Pakistan was Ravishankar
Chatterjee's Indrasabha (Court of Indra) at Rupmahal
cinema hall in dhaka
in 1948. In 1952 bulbul
chowdhury, who had already made a name as a dancer in
pre-partition India, staged Yena Bhule Na Yai (Lest We Forget)
based on the famine of 1943. This was followed by two other dance
dramas reflecting the 'Pakistani' theme: Hafizer Svapna (Dream
of Hafiz) and Iraner Panthashala (At an Iranian Tavern).
|
|
Bulbal and Afroza Chowdhury
in Anarkali |
bulbul
lalitakala academy was established in Dhaka in 1955 to commemorate
Bulbul Chowdhury's name and continue his work. It was at the initiative
of this academy that Naksi Kanthar Math (The Field of the Embroidered
Quilt) by jasimuddin
was adapted as a dance drama and staged in 1958 under the direction
of gazi alauddin
mannan. This tragic love story of the village boy Rupa and
the village girl Shaju reflected the growing interest in the regional
Bengali culture, different from the imposed 'Pakistani' identity. The
sense of a different Bengali identity led to a reawakened interest in
Tagore, an interest that was furthered by the celebration of his birth
centenary in 1961.
Different cultural organisations, including Bulbul Lalitakala
Academy and chhayanat,
staged his dance dramas, among them Syama, with Atiqul Islam
directing the music, and Mandira Nandi directing the dance. This was followed
by Chitrangada, Mayar Khela, Chandalika, Shapmochan,
Bhanusingher Padavali and Taser Desh. Despite the antipathy
of the Pakistani authorities towards Tagore, his dance dramas continued
to be staged both in Dhaka as well as in smaller towns. In 1967 Taser
Des was staged at bharateswari
homes in mirzapur
under the direction of Amanul Huq.
Following the tradition of Tagore's dance drama, Enamul
Huq created Hazar Tarer Vina (The Thousand-Stringed Vina) based
on the life of kazi
nazrul islam. It was produced by Bulbul Academy, with
Baburam Singh and Kajal Mahmud directing the dance and altaf
mahmud directing its music. In the sixties, many dance dramas
were based on folk songs and tales, such as Mahuya, Sonaimadhav,
Maluya, Nader Chand and Chandravati, created
by Peejush Kiron Pal, Jogesh Das, GA Mannan and Nikunja Bihari Pal respectively.
Ajit Sanyal, who taught at Bulbul Academy, staged Shyamal Matir Dharatale
(On the Green Plains), a dance drama based on the life of the
ordinary people of Bangladesh. gauhar
jamil, who had started jago
art centre, staged Tagore's dance drama Samanya Ksati as
well as Kanchanmala, based on a folk
tale. At the same time, the Pakistani theme was reflected in
Alpana Mumtaz's Sasi Pannu and Omar Khaiyam.
Quite a few dance dramas were staged outside Dhaka, many of them based on local
folk tales. Among them are Rupasi Gan (The Beautiful Village, 1960) and Padmar Dheu (The Waves of the padma, 1964), by the lyricist Muhammad Mohsin Reza, which were both staged at rajshahi, with Bazlur Rahman Badal choreographing the dance and Abdul Aziz Bachchu directing the music. In chittagong Runu Biswas staged Amina Sundari, Bheluya Sundari and Maleka Banu. Other dance dramas based on folk tales included Rupvan, Gunai Bibi, Beder Meye. Local writers and poets also wrote dance dramas such as Badal Barisane (When It Rains), Kaveri Tire (On the Banks of the Kaveri), Musafir and Julfikar (based on the life of Kazi Nazrul Islam). Dance dramas by Tagore were also staged outside Dhaka, among them Chandalika, Syama, Sapmochan, Chitrangada and Mayar Khela. Dance dramas were also staged on a variety of issues, such as Mansingh and Virangana Sakhina, based on the story of Isa Khan, directed by Altamas Ahmed, Sona Jhara Sandhya (An Enchanting Evening), a love story directed by Amanul Huq, and Shatabdir Svapna (The Dream of the Century), Sur Pelo Surabhi (Surabhi Finds a Tune) and Jhanjha (Hurricane) created by AKM Mujtaba.
Political concerns have played a prominent role in the
literary and cultural fields of Bangladesh, including dance drama. Though
the Pakistani element continued to inspire the drama of the 60s, with
GA Mannan staging Kashmir in 1965 against the backdrop of the Indo-Pakistan
war, the next year saw the beginning of a nationalist movement that finally
culminated in the liberation of Bangladesh. Dance dramas started reflecting
the political and economic concerns of the people with themes either going
back to the language movement of 1952 or drawing upon the current mass
movement against the autocratic Pakistani regime. At the same time other
social and political concerns found their way into dance drama: exploitation,
imperialism, colonialism, landlordism, hoarding. Among these dance dramas
are Rajpath Janapath (Highways and Lanes) and Uttaraner Deshe
(The Victorious Country), written by Enamul Huq and directed
by Rahija Khanam Jhunu and Baburam Singh; Pratirodhe Bahniman (The
Fiery Resistance) directed by Habibul Choudhury; and Jvalchhe Agun
Ksete Khamare (Cropfields on Fire), Hartal (Strike), Ora
Kaj Kare (They Work) and Digante Natun Surya (New Sun on the
Horizon), written and directed by Amanul Huq.
A scene from Battle of Bangladesh
After the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, dance artistes
created a host of new dance dramas in which, for obvious reasons, the
theme of liberation figured prominently. The first dance drama inspired
by the theme of liberation, Bangladesher Muktiyuddha (The Liberation
War of Bangladesh), staged at a cultural function organised in Dhaka to
mark the award of the Joliot-Curie Peace Prize to bangabandhu
sheikh mujibur rahman, was directed by Amanul Huq. A little
later, another dance drama, Nabarun, on the same theme,
was staged under the joint direction of GA Mannan, Gauhar Jamil and Altamas
Ahmed. Biksubdha Satai June (Turbulent 7th June), written
by Mustafa Sarwar, on the theme of the 6-point movement, was staged under
the direction of Amanul Huq.
In 1974 the dance drama, Dhansindi Nadi Tire (On
the Banks of the Dhansindi), was staged at the Engineers' Institution
in Dhaka under the direction of Mahfuzur Rahman. The theme of liberation
continued to inspire dance dramas through the 80s with Battle of Bangladesh,
Amar Svadesh Amar Bhalabasa (My Country, My Love), written and directed
by Amanul Huq; Bijay Pataka (The Flag of Victory) directed by Laila
Hasan; Svadhinatar Svapakse (On the Side of Independence) written
by Akram Ali and directed by Kamal Sarkar; Mayer Mukti (Mother's
Freedom) directed by Raushan Jamil; and Suryamukhi Nadi (The Suryamukhi
River) written by Enamul Huq and directed by Rahija Khanam Jhunu. At the
same time, dance dramas have also been performed on a variety of themes.
In 1995, Shakuntala was staged at the initiative of Kingshuk Sangeet
Academy of jessore,
and Chira Amlan (Forever Fresh) and Mayer Chokhe Purnima (The
Full Moon through Mother's Eyes), written by Shahidul Islam, were produced
by the bangladesh
shilpakala academy under the direction of Shamim Ara Nipa and
Shibli Mohammad.
Folk tales continue to form an important staple of dance
drama, with Shilpakala Academy staging Rupvan, Jhankar Lalitkala
Academy staging Gunaibibi, and Jago Art Centre staging
Kanchanmala and Radhar Manbhanjan. Social issues
also inspire dance drama as in Kusumer Svapna (Kusum's Dream),
the anti-dowry dance drama staged by the bangladesh
ballet troupe. Western ballet is also gradually influencing
dance drama. The Bangladesh Ballet Troupe performs a form of ballet, and
the Shilpakala Academy's production of Megher Adale Surya (The
Sun Shadowed by the Cloud) was choreographed by Mr Kim of South Korea
in the style of western ballet.
Many dance dramas have also been presented on Bangladesh
Television. These include Nazrul Islam's Kajari, Tagore's
Shahajahaner Svapna (Shahajahan's Dream), Jasimuddin's Madhumalati.
Other dance dramas include Surya Toran (The Sun Gate) and Arunachaler
Pathe (Towards the Land of the Sun), Satti Tarar Desh (In the
Lands of the Seven Stars) symbolising the seven SAARC countries, Alibaba
O Challish Chor (Alibaba and the Forty Thieves), Banshariya (The
Flute Player) and Kisanir Svapna (The Dream of an Adolescent Girl).
Dance dramas often reflect the people's concerns. Thus Megh Raja Megh
De (O Cloud King, Give Us Rain) was inspired by the occasional
seasons of severe drought; Amar Priyake Niyechhe Kede (My Beloved
Was Snatched Away) was inspired by the tidal surges that often accompany
cyclones; Man Besatir Hate (In the Market of Hearts), reflected
lives and loves in a rural setting; the theme of the liberation war inspired
Ora E Matir Santan (They Are Sons of This Soil). Apart from GA
Mannan, Rahija Khanam Jhunu, and Amanul Huq, Barkatullah, Golam Mostafa
Khan, Zeenat Barkatullah, and Mostafa Manwar have also directed dance
dramas. [Amanul Huq]
|
