STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The J&K Cultural Academy, in collaboration with Parivartan, staged the Dogri play Shah-Shahni at Abhinav Theatre, receiving overwhelming appreciation from the audience and culminating in a standing ovation.
Written by Rajneesh Gupta, the script sensitively explores the unspoken layers of Partition-era suffering—moving beyond the commonly recalled violence to reveal the silent sacrifices, emotional ruptures, and unheard stories of those who were uprooted in 1947 from Jammu–Poonch and surrounding regions.
Director Romi Sharma, a noted television and stage artist who has acted in nearly 400 serials and authored three books, said that the production seeks to bring raw human emotion to the forefront.
She added that being a child of a family forcefully migrated during 1947, and having interviewed many eyewitnesses of that era, the subject remains deeply personal for her. “This play is a tribute to everyone who suffered in 1947,” Romi Sharma said.
She is also widely recognised for reuniting Partition-separated families across the LoC through social media.
Senior artists Madan Rangeela, Rajneesh Gupta, Rekha Sharma, Meera Tapasvi, and Rishabh Manhas, Amanjit Verma ,Arun Sharma, delivered soul-stirring performances. Their intense portrayal of grief, resilience, and longing moved many in the audience to tears. Lights and sound were operated by Rajesh Raina and yuvraj gupta, Pankaj Sharma , Back stage was handled by John Peter , Kannu Sharma.The authentic Dogra vocabulary, the detailed set design, and the emotional depth of each scene transported viewers back to the forgotten landscapes of pre-Partition Jammu–Poonch.
The event was attended by eminent personalities from Jammu, including Padma Shri Dr. S.P. Varma, Harvinder Kour (Secretary, J&K Cultural Academy), B.M. Sharma (Cultural Secretary), Dr. Mukund Lal Sharma, Gen. Rakesh Sharma, Historian Lalit Gupta , Dr Javaid Rahi, Dr. Nitan Sharma, Ravinder koul and other distinguished guests.
Shah-Shahni was widely appreciated for reviving a poignant Dogra narrative and presenting a heartfelt depiction of a painful chapter that continues to echo through generations.