Theatre group Ank revisits the legacy of warrior queen Veera Rani Abbakka

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The play tells of a warrior queen’s vow of vengeance. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

In 1976, actor-director Dinesh Thakur launched the Ank Theatre Group to promote Hindi theatre in India. Its first production, Prastaav , ran for only 11 shows, but the group gained momentum after the launch of Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai two years later. Prithvi provided a dedicated venue and a thriving theatre ecosystem. Over the years, productions such as Hai Mera Dil , Beewion Ka Madarsa , Anji , Bhaagam Bhaag , and Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhya enjoyed tremendous success.

After Dinesh passed away in 2012, his wife Priita Mathur Thakur carried forward his legacy. To mark the group’s golden jubilee this October, she has launched an original play Veera Rani Abbakka: The Queen of the Seas, The Flame of Ullala. It recounts the story of the warrior queen of Ullala, a coastal principality near Mangaluru, who vows to avenge her mother’s defeat at the hands of the Portuguese. Priita has written and directed the play, besides essaying the title role herself.

“We wanted to create a play that would be in keeping with Dinesh’s vision. As a director, he worked across a variety of genres, ranging from comedies and farces to tragedies, courtroom dramas and adaptations of English plays. Although I first thought of Abbakka over a decade ago, the project has fallen perfectly into place as part of Ank’s 50-year celebrations,” says Priita.

The group’s golden jubilee celebrations actually began last year with Sita Banbas , directed by Atul Tiwari and based on Agha Hashar Kashmiri’s 1928 classic. Centred on the period following Rama’s banishment of Sita, the play follows the protagonist, portrayed by Priita, as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and emancipation.

The portrayal of the sutradhars or bhagwats, who use Yakshagana mannerisms and costumes was one of the highlights of the play. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

Priita’s association with Ank began in 1991. Among her early performances with the group were Adal Badal , Jaan Lijiye and Mausam Suhana , adaptations by Dinesh that allowed her to explore different facets of acting. In 1993, two productions based on Vijay Tendulkar’s works, Khamosh Adalat Jaari Hai and Anji , further established her as an actor, although both plays had earlier been staged by Ank with other performers. “ Anji is one of my favourite roles. It is about a 29-year-old woman who is unable to find a husband. Eventually, I had to stop playing the part because there was a limit to how long I could convincingly portray a 29-year-old,” she says with a laugh.

After Dinesh’s passing, Priita took over the Ank leadership, and focused on participating in theatre festivals. She says, “We continued doing popular plays such as Hai Mera Dil and Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhya. Since we had discontinued Anji , I also wanted to add new productions. Before Sita Banbas , we staged plays such as Mitron Marjani, Atke Bhatke Latke Sur and Hamari Neeta Ki Shaadi .