Artistes perform Habib Tanvir’s classic Charan Das Chor at the National Theatre Festival in Paradip. Telegraph pictures

Paradip, Feb. 27: Acting skills and histrionics backed by a powerful script took centrestage as Habib Tanvir’s classic Charan Das Chor stole the hearts of theatre aficionados during the National Theatre Festival in Paradip.

The play, widely regarded as a masterpiece in Hindi theatre, revolved round the trials and tribulations of a fictionalised Robinhood character. Relevance of the theme in today’s society made the play an absorbing one. Laced with judicious dose of comedy and humour, the drama held the audience enthralled.

The background score Satya hi ishwar hai, ishwar hi satya hai amply put the theme in a nutshell. The satirical play was performed by Bhopal-based troupe, Naya Theatre. Derived from the Rajasthani folk culture, the play owes it genesis to the perennially backward tribal pockets of Chattisgarh, now turned into a hotbed of Maoist insurgency.

The plot revolved around a bandit, Charan, with a warm heart. Though he broke law with impunity, he endeavoured to be a Good Samaritan.

He was the local Robinhood, and evaded prison through his friendship with the constable. Charan promised his guru that he will always speak the truth.

In an ironic twist, the queen of the kingdom is enamoured by the honest thief and wishes to marry him. Charan gets caught in a dilemma.

The amorous twist in Charan’s life invited the end of his Robinhood image. The queen’s infatuation costs him dear with Charan being executed by the king’s men.

The play portrayed the conflict in society and within the minds of people. The honest thief, the hypocritical queen, the dishonest munim and the foolish leader are paradoxical characters who continued to thrive in society.

According to Jayanta Bhattacharya, an employee of the ministry of finance, “The music and the folk dance in the play made it very special. The focus was not only on the script but on the whole package. Though the theme is an old one, the perspective is fresh.”

“The dance packaged in the play was performed by members of the Satnami caste, on whose folklore the theme is based. Most of the actors in the play were from rural areas of Chattisgarh. My father did not believe in ornamentation, imitation or patchwork. Everything is real and authentic in his plays,” said Nageen Tanvir, the late playwright’s daughter.

Naya Theatre recently came to the spotlight as many of its artistes prominently figured in the Bollywood movie Peepli Live.

Veteran theatre personality Chaitram Yadav, associated with Naya Theatre since 1976, said: “The legend of Habib Tanvir is still alive. His spirit lives on through theatre.”

Charandas Chor is resplendent with comic ironies and subtle jibes. It is originally a Rajasthani folk tale by Vijaydan Detha but differs from it in the fact that it closes with Charandas's execution and posthumous deification.

“The play is about paradoxes and contradictions of the lives we live in,” said Nageen.