SACHI NAIK | NT BUZZ
The season of Lent sees a lot of tiatrs by directors who believe that the message conveyed is as important as the comedy in it. One such director is Lawry Travasso, who has a latest offereing in the Lenten tiatr titled ‘Mogachim Fulam’. This is the sixth time he has produced, written and directed his tiatr.
‘Mogachim Fulam’ is a family drama that conveys a message on an everyday but a heart touching topic. It shows the plight of a childless couple who have been married for a few years. Life gets worse when the husband’s married sister returns home, and starts harassing the brother’s wife and calls her names for not bearing a child. This is followed by the entire locality blaming the wife and thus the couple begins to lose respect.
Speaking about the storyline Lawry says: “Unfortunately, this story is very relevant in our society. My story is not based on any true events but there are people who disrespect childless couples. Somehow, they are not given the same respect as those couples who have children.”
He adds: “I have witnessed how people think of childless couples. If they buy a new car, or a new house, people say, why they need to buy a new car or a new house, they do not even have children! I do not understand how people can consider not having a child as having no life.”
Lawry considers this meaningless thinking. “We must understand that every individual has their own life and they have the right to enjoy it the way they want to. Who says that buying a new car or anything else is the right of couples have children. It is a totally wrong thought.”
He opines that childless couples should share the same space as those who have children. “The message that I want to convey through my tiatr ‘Mogachim Fulam’ is that childless couple should be respected in the same way the other couples are respected. It is not a crime that they should be mistreated or disrespected,” says Lawry.
Explaining one of the important scenes of his tiatr, ‘Mogachim Fulam’, Lawry states that he included a scene of two female neighbours fighting and one catcalls the other for being childless: “These things happen in real life situations. There are people who get on such topics during ordinary fights considering it to be a flaw of character.”
It is quite common, Lawry says, that couples often bear the brunt for no fault of their own. They have to listen to the names people call them. Sometimes, childless women are also blamed.
Another highlight of this story is that the people are not bothered about correcting their own mistakes rather are bothered and interfere in someone else’s matter. “In this tiatr, I have shown how the sister-in-law interferes in her brother’s life.”
The tiatr includes a story of a sister-in-law who is married for ten years but has no child. But she returns to her maternal house and ruins the family life there. “Now this sister-in-law is married for ten years yet doesn’t have a child, but she is more bothered about her brother’s life. She blames his wife. Actually her brother has been married only for five years, but she still continues to interfere in their personal matters,” says Lawry.
Lawry also tries to make people realise that before you interfere with another person, have a look at your life. “What I am trying to say is actually this sister-in-law should first see her life and her situation rather than blaming his brother’s wife for the same situation that she is going through. There are so many people around us who see other’s situation as a flaw but if that same situation takes place in their lives, they consider it as a misfortune. This is absolutely wrong according to me. I have witnessed such events where in people interfere in other’s life way too much.”
According to Lawry, each individual has a problem in their life and each individual should concentrate on solving their own life problems. To bother and interfere in someone else’s life isn’t right. They should understand that they can ruin someone’s family life or personal relations by interfering in their life.
Lawry says that he didn’t have to face any major challenges during the direction of the tiatr: “There are well known and professional actors in my tiatr. They do not really need any help with acting. They know their role, character and also the situation in the scene of the tiatr. So, there was absolutely no problem in directing this tiatr. All perform their roles perfectly and professionally,” he says.
There is a good response for the tiatr according to Lawry. “I have received a good response from public. It is a very ordinary topic but the message that I am trying to convey is different and new and people have appreciated it. Also, the message that I am conveying is clear to the public. I am very happy that people are giving good feedback for the tiatr.”
Lawry dedicates his tiatr ‘Mogachim Fulam’ to all those couples who go through such situations. “This tiatr is dedicated to all the childless couples who have been blamed or disrespected in the society for absolutely no reason. There are many people who advise them about their situation without thinking that they may get hurt,” says Lawry.
(The shows of ‘Mogachim Fulam’ will be held on March 27 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao at 3.30 pm and on March 28 at Paroda at 7.30 pm.)