All for a donkey’s egg!

“Laughter is the best medicine” is a saying which is popular with almost all of us. Comedy has the power of changing human moods. It can take a person out of depression and make him feel better.

Manch Theatre Group’s play titled Gaardhabandam (Donkey’s Egg) which literally means ‘Gaadidha Guddu’ staged at Lamakaan on Friday does just that – spread happiness and cheer, even while spreading social conscience.

The play, ‘Gaardhabandam’, written decades ago by actor, writer, director, Tanikella Bharani, is still relevant in the present social scenario.

The play is the story of a king who has no children. The innocent king does not know anything, and does not even have basic knowledge of his kingdom.

The minister, who wants to make his son the next kind, tries to cheat the king in the name of ‘Gaardhabandam Yaagam’. The minister tells the king that the Gaardhabandam is an egg of a donkey that will provide a son to the king after it splits up.

The play clearly explains about how a king was deceived by his minister in a comic way “We had met Tanikella Bharani recently and he gave us a book which is full of plays written by him. In the book we found ‘Gaardhabandam’ and we decided to stage that,” said, Srikanth Banala director of the play.

“Gaardhabandam is mix of fictional mythology and contemporary social issues faced by the common man; a satire on inherited political power with rib-tickling conversations. This play will make you laugh to the core and carry a sense of belonging and responsibility towards society in voicing against the wrong happening in the society,” adds Srikanth Banala.

Artistes, who performed in the play include Neelesh Ahankari as the King, Sunder Saragadam as Minister, Suman as Avadhutha, Srinivas as Bhajananandham, Suleman as Medhavi and Bharath Reddy who plays the character ‘Manaku Teluvadu’, which means ‘We do not know’.

By:V Sateesh Reddy