Ashwini Giri speaks about her solo act — Venunaad — at IAPAR today, and why she chose Krishna as the central theme of her performance
Directed by Chittaranjan Giri and performed by actor Ashwini Giri, Venunad is the product of Rangayug Sanskrutik Sansthan, Varanasi. Performed across 45 minutes, it is solely conceptualised and performed by Ashwini. While we have seen, heard and read about the many forms of Krishna, delving into the depths of his life reveals that Krishna has been persistently faced with conflict and dilemma at every point in life and has harmoniously overcome them with his extraordinary understanding and sensibilities. This performance explores the identity of Krishna and the nuances of the relationships he shared with various women of the time.
Tell us about Rangayug? The idea behind it, the concept and how it was born?
My husband, Chittaranjan Giri, who has directed Venunad, and I, along with some of our friends, started Rangayug Sanskrutik Sansthan, Varanasi as my husband is a native of the city — from where he came to National School of Drama (NSD). The group was started to ensure a good theatre platform in Varanasi and quality training in dance, music and other performing arts for its residents. Since both of us are into theatre, we really were passionate about taking art to the masses. Our main aim is to do Hindi theatre.
What is Venunad? The preparation that has gone into next week’s IAPAR performance...
While I was studying in NSD, I had read Andhaa Yug, and seen a play based on it, staged by our seniors, directed by Ram Gopal Bajaj. I was a part of the chorus then. I have always wanted to do something related to it — a part of the play, a monologue or something. While freelancing in Mumbai, a theatre group called Chaupal (started by some NSD pass-outs) decided to do a play around the novel Kanupriya, written by Dharamvir Bharti (author of Andhaa Yug too), which I was a part of. This way, I got to do a part of what I always wanted to.
Around 15-20 years hence, as a theatre teacher, I realised that all these years, I have done cinema and theatre but that has all been directed by someone. I had never done anything of my own. That’s when I began working on this and pulled out a lot of poetries from Kanupriya, and some from Andhaa Yug, all centered around Krishna and performed for the institute I teach in. When Krishna goes for the Mahabharata war, he goes forever, never comes back. But Radha keeps waiting for him. That feeling of sacrifice is beautifully depicted in these poems. Radha had completely dedicated herself to the relation. This love between these two has always inspired me. The beautiful Hindi in which these poems are written is another inspiration.
At IAPAR, I felt like expanding this performance, I wanted to make it more complete. So there came into picture my husband, as the director of Venunad.
What is Krishna, according to you and why did you choose him as the central theme of your performance?
Krishna is a multi-faceted character. The Mahabharata itself is such an interesting and extraordinary text that its characters resonate with you and constantly inspire art. Krishna is omnipresent. His stories are so intriguing — it keeps one wondering whether he is a common man, god, magician, or a politician. He can be interpreted as an actor, director or performer. So I have chosen him as the central theme of my performance. Krishna had relations with many prominent women of his time — most prominently Radha, Meera, Draupadi, Yashodha, Kunti, Gandhari, etc. These were multi-faceted relationships, and Hindu mythology often doesn’t give names to many of them. Albeit, each of these relationships was deep, layered and unique in its nature.
How do you connect the Krishna from mythology to today’s day and age?
Whenever we speak love, or we speak of male-female relations, we think of Krishna. He is the role model from the Hindu mythology and the Radha-Krishna relation is the epitome of love. Do we have that level of purity in the contemporary world? It is the quest for this purity that makes Krishna so relatable across ages.
You have done both — theatre and cinema. How do you see the two mediums?
Both mediums are equally strong and challenging. They take the same amount of hard work and the perfectionist activist. Theatre is my first love, of course, since it gave me my identity. I was recognised through my work in theatre and hence I never let go of any opportunity to be on stage.
I am quite choosy with cinema, but it has worked out well for me. And that’s how I would like to keep it. I have worked with some great people thus. Most of my movies have been realistic; I never went for solely-commercial cinema.
Trained as an artist, perform as an artist, and now teach performing arts — I think it’s a beautiful circle of learning. An artist grows immensely while learning and teaching someone else. It becomes an ongoing process.
