As part of the 60th-anniversary celebrations of the National School of Drama, organized in collaboration with the Language & Culture Department of Himachal Pradesh, a seven-day theatre festival commenced with its inaugural production, Tajmahal Ka Tender. This Hindi play, written by Ajay Shukla and directed by Chittaranjan Tripathi, was performed by the renowned NSD Repertory Company, New Delhi.
Tajmahal Ka Tender presents a brilliant satire on the bureaucracy and red tape prevalent in our society. The play humorously depicts Emperor Shah Jahan’s ambitious plan to build the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved Mumtaz. However, Shah Jahan’s dream is quickly ensnared in a web of bureaucracy, as the cunning and corrupt CPWD official, Gupta, manipulates the system, causing endless delays and farcical situations. Bureaucracy drags on for 25 years before even approving the project, demonstrating how inefficiency and red tape suffocate progress.
The state or government is among humanity’s finest creations, as it doesn’t replicate any prior existing entity. With the emergence of governance, primitive society transitioned into a civilized one. Over time, the desire for change awoke within humanity, giving rise to divisions of labour, divisions of time, files, bureaucracy, red tape, and so on. These developments led to the birth of officialdom.
Although the play’s premise and satirical content have immense potential, this particular performance fell short. The execution leaned heavily on loud music and vibrant, sometimes overdone, which gave it a third grade nautanki look, which, unfortunately, detracted from the dialogue delivery and the sharpness of the satire. The actors rushed through their lines, making it difficult for the audience to grasp the dialogues and appreciate the humour. Consequently, the play’s comedic punches barely resonated, and the intended critique of corruption and bureaucratic absurdity lost much of its impact. The theme—exposing corruption, laziness, and insensitivity within public offices—is rich and timely, but the message was marred by rushed performances and lacklustre delivery. Greater emphasis on timing, clearer dialogue, and refining the comedic elements could have highlighted the satire more effectively.
In sum, while Tajmahal Ka Tender has the potential to be a powerful commentary on societal issues, this rendition missed its mark in execution, leaving the core satire muted.
