Under the shadow of ghost!

Abreathtaking work of fiction tale, based on the horror of spirit possession, left the audience spellbound as Anuja Ghosalkar, single-handedly held the realm of the show. The play, ‘Lady Anandi’ was set in 19th century reviving the history pages with the use of fiction.

The picture slideshow of the late burlesquer, amalgamated with the performance of lively artist on the stage was aweinspiring and one-of-a kind at the same time. The play, took place at International Baudh Shodh Sansthan, Lucknow.

The story revolved around the protagonist who was haunted by the ghost of her great grandfather—a female impersonator in late 19th century Marathi theatre— every time she goes up on stage. It is the story of two actors separated by 100 years, one who plays a lady convincingly and the other struggling to be a woman on stage.

The play was magnificently conceived, written and performed by Anuja Ghosalkar. The crucial lighting conditions were managed by Vikrant Thakar while Aliasger Dhariwala was the technical manager. Ghosalkar, is a Bangalore based artist and fore-runner of Drama Queen, her documentary theatre company, focuses on personal histories and archives to extend the idea of theatre to create audacious work.

It has had over 40 shows across India, Sweden and Germany. Its DIY aesthetic enables it to be showcased at varied spaces — an old film studio, a museum of modern art, a basement to name a few.

The play was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience and the auditorium lauded with applause at the end.

HT PHOTO Anuja Ghosalkar during an act in the play ‘Lady Anandi’ staged at Baudh Shodh Sansthan