Theatre Review: ‘The Father & the Assassin’ (National Theatre)
Anupama Chandrasekhar isn’t one to shy away from a tough subject. The Chennai born Indian playwright has written about acid attacks, sex tapes and her home country’s culture of patriarchal violence. Her latest offering ‘The Father and the Assassin’, shines a light on one of the most formative moments in India’s history: the murder of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi. However, in true Chandrasekhar fashion, rather than focusing on the revered persona of Gandhi, she concentrates on his assassin, Hindu nationalist Nathuram Godse, highlighting his journey from being an avid follower of Gandhi’s doctrine of non-violence to becoming his killer.
The play begins with Godse, portrayed brilliantly by Shubham Saraf, directly addressing the audience. He asks them to see the world through his eyes, feel what he felt, see what he saw, so that maybe – just maybe – they could finally understand why he did what he did. The story shares how Godse was raised as a girl by his superstitious parents, who had previously lost every male child they had had, and continues through his journey of becoming a tailor and then later a journalist who witnessed first hand the brutal consequences of the British Raaj. In between, Godse who as a child worshipped the Gandhi, begins to despite him after the unfortunate events of Chauri Chaura in 1922, in which 22 policemen and 3 civilians were killed, forcing Gandhi to suspend his Non-Cooperation movement.
Throughout the play, Saraf remains on the stage, and provides the narration with powerful and at times humorous monologues and soliloquys. His portrayal of the complex character of Godse is almost perfect – superbly personalising the story of India’s independence and Gandhi’s assassination with colours of nationalist obsession and desire to become “more than just a common man.” Saraf is supported on stage by an incredible cast; namely Sagar Arya as the cutthroat godfather of Hindu nationalism Veer Sarvarkar, Tony Jawardena as Godse’s retired postmaster father, Dinita Gohil as Vimla who is childhood friends with Godse but grows up to be a staunch ally of Gandhi and the non-violence movement, and Ankur Bahl who successfully portrays the roles of Madhav and Kishore with great humour and energy. Paul Bazeley also does a fine job in bringing out the excitable yet stirring character of Gandhi.
Of course, any dramatisation of history requires a degree of imaginative licence – especially when so little has been recorded about the life of Godse. Not surprising when you realise that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had not only banned the publication of Godse’s statement during his trial but also many other literary pieces that centred around the event of the assassination. But liberty has also been taken slightly with historical context – as nothing is really ever just black or white. Gandhi, though revered and even worshipped by some, was not without his faults with many questioning his views on Black South Africans whilst living in the apartheid state. Similarly, Sarvarkar, though now known as the Father of Hindu Nationalist ideology, was instrumental in coalition governments cropping up across the Indian provinces which consisted of Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League members uniting and working together. To just see one as good and the other as evil would be unfair, and a misrepresentation of multifaceted personalities based in reality.
Overall, ‘The Father and the Assassin’ leaves a mark on its audience. Its impact and purpose is both dazzling and thought-provoking. Though some of the scenes of the play may make for some uncomfortable viewing, it provides an incredible opportunity to educate masses about a part of history that many never have encountered before. An outstanding production, you wouldn’t want to miss it.
