Play name: KaumudiGenre: Fantasy, MythologicalCast: Kumud Mishra, Gopal Datt, Sandeep Shikhar, Shubhrajyoti BaratDirector: Abhishek MajumdarDuration: 2 hoursLanguage: HindiRating: 3 out of 5Review:Kaumudi (Moonlight), written and directed by Abhishek Majumdar, is an attempt to find out if an age-old story can still hold up a mirror to the modern world. The play is a blend of mythology, humour and social commentary. Set in the 1960s Allahabad theatre, the two-hour play explores caste, power, faith, religion and human relationships through the story of an estranged father-son duo with the backdrop of the Mahabharata.The ensemble cast of theatre veterans works well together. Kumud Mishra, as the blind father and Eklavya, brings layers of arrogance, vulnerability, and wounded pride to his performance. He drew sympathy at some moments and made the audience question his choices at others. Sandeep Shikhar, as his son and Abhimanyu, balances humour with emotional intensity, making his character easy to root for. Gopal Datt and Shubhrajyoti Barat often step into the intense narrative with well-timed comic relief. Their banter and satirical exchanges bring laughter while also taking pointed digs at caste structures, bureaucracy and the systems that govern artistic spaces.Majumdar’s writing is at its strongest when it refuses to leave the Mahabharata in the past. While the play remains rooted in characters and ideas from the epic, its questions around caste, religion, power and the passing of knowledge feel distinctly contemporary. Kaumudi succeeds in using mythology not simply to revisit the past, but to ask questions about the present. However, after building several layers of conflict and raising thought-provoking questions, the conclusion leaves the audience wanting a little more resolution.Should you watch it?Watch it for the humour, satire and sharp performances that question deep-rooted social taboos and leave the audience to ponder.
