STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Natrang presented a very well conceived and innovatively directed performance of a Hindi play ‘Lamhon Ne Khata Ki Thi’. The play has been written by Partap Sehgal and directed by Neeraj Kant. All the elements, script, acting, music, light and design made the performance a wonderful theatrical experience to watch and the audience was moved by the strong message conveyed in the play.
The play ‘Lamhon Ne Khata Ki Thi’ focuses on the theme of AIDS awareness and serves as a powerful weapon of its prevention. A wife is shown betrayed by her husband as she got HIV infected from him. The story of the play appeared happy in the beginning but turned to be a grim tragedy at the end. “Geeta’ got married to ‘Mahesh’, her boss as they liked each other. Their married life was smooth and happy and after years of wait, Geeta got pregnant. But rather than bringing happiness, this much awaited good news brings gloom to the family as Mahesh started being ill and weak because of no exact disease. After consulting a doctor and getting general health tonic, he feels better for a few days but his health deteriorates and he shows the symptoms of being HIV positive. On getting properly checked, he got diagnosed to be HIV positive, moreover he had transmitted the same to his wife and probably to the upcoming child unknowingly. This brings shock and sorrow to the family and the couple starts blaming each other. Finally, ‘Dinesh’ a good friend of ‘Mahesh’ reminds him that during his college days, Mahesh went to a brothel and must have got infected from there. This brings a gush of the feeling of repentance and remorse in Mahesh but nothing of any use as because of a mistake of a few moments, he had spoilt his whole life and also that of his family. ‘Dinesh’ requests him to not feel dejected as even after being affected with the virus, he is still part of the society and may live a healthy life after following the treatment strictly.
Natrang actors who performed in the play included; Brijesh Avtar Sharma as Mahesh, Kananpreet Kaur as Geeta, Sushant Singh as Dinesh, Riya Sharma as Doctor Kapoor, Chirag Anand as Doctor Pathak and Kuldeep Angral as Paanwala. The music of the play was rendered by Kushal Bhat whereas the lights were designed and operated by Neeraj Kant.