Bahroop Artist Group Presents a Stage Play on Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Jamia’s Outreach Programme in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, organized a stage play in Hindi on the topic of 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy titled, “Yahan Se Shahar Ko Dekho,” at the Ansari Auditorium on, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011.

The play was presented by a group called Bahroop (No association with Jamia); and directed by Dr. Mohammad Kazim

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According to the program sheet, the play has been adapted from another play in English by Rahul Verma titled, “Bhopal,” on the same subject.

The play focuses on the conditions set in society which led to the 1984 lethal gas leak from the Union Carbide chemical plant in the city of Bhopal, killing scores of people in the process.

It portrays the existence of an illegal and an immoral nexus between corrupt politicians and greedy capitalists who cut corners in their drive for profit, and as a consequence endanger the welfare of the people.

Corporations in their drive to make a profit exploit the people and the environments they inhabit; while the politicians who proclaim to be the guardians of people’s interests, put their selfish interests ahead of the people and sellout to these corporations.

And such an unfavorable setting, suggests the play, can only lead to incidents like the Bhopal gas tragedy.

Some of the key characters in the play are: Izzat, who represents the poor people of India, who are exploited and eventually become the victims of corruption in society; then we have Devraj, an eager-to-please Indian manager who represents the interests of the company; next we have Chief Minister Jaganlal, who represents the corrupt politicians; and last, we have Sonya Levante who represents people of conscience, who selflessly work toward the welfare of the common man.

Scenes from the Event

1. Pictures

click on a picture to enlarge it.

2. Video

Watch excerpts from the play. (Link to video.)