Naatak Radio is back! And we are back with a classic from one of India's most prominent short story writer Ruskin Bond. This also happens to be our 100th episode!! Here's to many more.

A Face in the Dark is a tale of Mr. Oliver, a school teacher in Simla, and his rather strange encounter on his walk back to town via the forest.

Performed by Vikas Dhurka.

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Presenting the first song from Naatak's VRINDAVAN, our 110th production. In Saavan Beetyo the Vrindavan widows are preparing for Janmashtami.

Credits:
Vocalists: Nachiketa Yakkundi, Vidya Murthy, Lakshmi Shankar Rao, Poonam Yakkundi
Organ: Anand Karve
Tabla: Ashish Tare
Manjira: Gandhar Tare
Triangle: Poonam Yakkundi

Written by Sujit Saraf

About the Play
In 2014, Bollywood’s dream girl Hema Malini became Member of Parliament from Mathura. When visiting a widow-home in Vrindavan, she suggested that Vrindavan widows should remain in Bengal instead of coming to over-crowded Vrindavan. The uproar that followed involved many actors – NGOs, the BJP, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Hema Malini.

This incident provides the inspiration for Vrindavan, City of Widows, in which 12 feisty widows live in raucous celebration until a Bollywood actress arrives to disrupt their lives. Vrindavan is a grand musical, juxtaposing the colorful love of Radha and Krishna with the stark existence of Vrindavan widows, and told through humor and wit, the songs of Meera Bai and the gyrations of Bollywood songs. The play features spectacular sets, costumes and lights, along with live music by Nachiketa Yakkundi and his team.

A news item on the incident that became the genesis of this play: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/widows-from-bengal-bihar-stay-there-why-crowd-vrindavan-hema-malini-667204

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Bombay Talkies - A Musical (Sep 2023)
written and directed by Sujit Saraf

Music from Bollywood (1935 to 1975)
Music direction : Nachiketa Yakkundi

Vocalists:
Nachiketa Yakkundi, Amit Shenoy, Ritesh Nayak
Anitha Dixit, Poulomi Sarkar, Manisha Ram
Shreya Dixit, Surya Saraf, Rohit Upamaka

Harmonium: Surya Saraf
Flute: Arjun Bharadwaj
Guitar: Ritesh Nayak
Tabla: Ajay Sundar Raj
Percussion (Dholak, Djimbe, Bongos): Kunal Mamidpalliwar
Tambourine, Cabasa: Poulomi Sarkar

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