Maithili Play Captivates Audience at Vidyapati Memorial Festival

by Arun Pathak

Bokaro: The second day of the 58th Vidyapati Memorial Festival turned into an emotional spectacle as the Maithili social play ‘Badd Mukil Chhai’ mesmerized the audience with its powerful storytelling and heartfelt performances.

Organized by the Mithila Cultural Council at Mithila Academy Public School, Sector 4, the play — written by Roshan Kumar Jha and directed by veteran theatre artist Shambhu Jha — struck a deep chord with viewers through its poignant portrayal of modern greed and fading family values.

The drama explores the emotional turmoil within a family where a son, blinded by ambition and influenced by modern lifestyle, neglects his aging parents in their final years. The gripping narrative and realistic performances laid bare the erosion of empathy in today’s pursuit of wealth and comfort.

The cast — Pammi Jha, Preeti Mishra, Suman Mishra, Preeti Priya, Shambhu Jha, Mayank Kumar Mishra, Girijanand Mishra, Debashish Kumar Mallik, and Arun Pathak — delivered compelling performances that drew repeated applause. Adding soul to the story, lyricist-singer Chandrakant Mishra lent his voice to self-composed songs that enriched the play’s emotional depth. Raman Kumar Thakur served as the prompter, while Naveen Kumar Mishra skillfully managed the lighting design.

Playwright Roshan Kumar Jha, who travelled from Delhi for the event, lauded the production’s intensity and authenticity. Director Shambhu Jha expressed satisfaction that despite most actors being newcomers, they brought the script to life with remarkable sincerity and teamwork.

Senior theatre personality Rajendra Kumar praised the Mithila Cultural Council for upholding its four-decade-old tradition of promoting Maithili theatre through the annual festival. He commended the entire cast and crew for maintaining the festival’s artistic legacy.

Neeraj Chaudhary, General Secretary of the Mithila Cultural Council, extended warm congratulations to the team for their “stellar and soul-stirring performance.” Veteran litterateur Budhinath Jha and theatre artist Sunil Mohan Thakur also applauded the ensemble for delivering a show that beautifully blended emotion, realism, and cultural pride.

The evening closed with thunderous applause — a standing ovation to a play that reminded everyone of the fragile threads that bind families and the timeless strength of Maithili theatre.