image008A Nepali play ‘Bukhyacha Mann,’ written and directed by Raj  Shah was staged at Sarwannam Theatre on Thursday. The play features actors Aaditya Sharma,  Aarohi Sharma, Sudarshan Aryal, Prakash KC, Sharmila Nagarkoti and Sujita Adhikari, among others. The play begins with one of the popular traditions practiced in the Western region, a sword fight, among a group of boys which turns fierce between the two opponents. A blossoming friendship between the two boys from childhood lives throughout the play. The first half of the play is light hearted; where we see the love, happiness, and when they go through rites of passage: marriage, children, and growing up. As the play goes on, we realize that life doesn’t go as they hope it would. We witness a scandalous dilemma between the families of the men, which is never mended. The play’s leading characters become increasingly melodramatic, with various monologues dealing with heart ache and loss. The ending is strong but the play went through a whole monotonous cycle of turmoil and mournfulness, leaving the audience anxious and restless. “While in my previous directorial, Jiuda Sapana, I tried to present a story of the impact of foreign employment in the society, this time around the story is more personal. With Bukhyacha Mann, I have tried to treat different facets of humanity through a story of a friendship,” said director Shah. The play will be staged at 5 pm every day (except for Thursdays) at the theater.