Laughter as Resistance: Dushman Urf Saiyaan Magan Pehlwani Mein Saara Ghar Pareshani Mein Triumphs on the Patna Stage
Patna.
The historic Premchand Rangshala echoed with roaring laughter on Sunday evening as Dushman Urf Saiyaan Magan Pehlwani Mein Saara Ghar Pareshani Mein, a sharply satirical Hindi play, was staged to resounding success by Madhyam Foundation, Patna. Directed by Bihar Kala Puraskar awardee Dharmesh Mehta and written by Dayaprakash Sinha, a distinguished recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the production emerged as a powerful blend of humor, social commentary, and theatrical finesse.
Designed in the tradition of exaggerated comedy, the play relied on crisp dialogue, expressive physicality, and meticulously timed situations to create a sustained comic momentum. The audience’s spontaneous and repeated bursts of laughter testified to the production’s impact and theatrical strength.
Structured as a single-scene, five-character play—with three male and two female roles—the narrative revolves around a wrestler’s household and the obsessive rivalry that governs its daily life. At its core is the character Hikmat Singh, who lives by a vow made to his father: never to lag behind his “enemy” in any circumstance. This irrational commitment propels him into a series of absurd decisions—marrying in response to his rival’s marriage, having more children than his adversary, and eventually destabilizing his own household—thereby generating relentless comedy.
What elevates the play beyond farce is its underlying idea: the notion of sustaining rivalry without physical violence, confronting enmity through proximity, obsession, and irony. This subtext lends the comedy a contemporary relevance, subtly critiquing ego-driven competition in modern society.
On stage, Dharmesh Mehta himself appeared as Mamu, while Durgeshwar Vishwakarma delivered a compelling performance as Hikmat Singh. Sonal Kumari (Lali), Chitra Priya (Mother), and Vicky Poddar (Goli Prasad) added depth and rhythm to the ensemble, with each actor demonstrating strong command over timing and characterisation.
The production was supported by Devendra Jha as assistant director, while Raj Kapoor handled music and lighting design with effective restraint. Members of Madhyam Foundation—including Rakesh Kumar, Mohammad Sadaruddin, Meena Devi, Manoj, and Dr. Ravindra Kumar Chandra—contributed significantly to the smooth execution of the performance.
The evening was attended by several notable guests, including Bihar government official Sameer Parimal, Varun Singh from the BJP’s cultural cell, along with Ravikant Singh, Sanat Tiwari, and Ramesh Chandra.
The play will be staged again on December 30 at 6:30 PM at Premchand Rangshala, reaffirming its growing resonance with theatre audiences in Patna.
