‘The Queen’ Play Set in 16th Century India Reflects and Parallels Modern Times

Written and produced by Aditya Rawal, co-produced by Aman Soni, and directed by Gwynn MacDonald, their play that made its debut on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

[Photo Courtesy of The Queen]

A woman in power battles with a decline in relevance and beauty as her husband marries a younger woman. She spends a lot of energy in avenging his betrayal.

Her husband, struggling with his own disintegration of power, desperately draws on all his resources, including his first, estranged wife, to regain control of his life.

You may be quick to think this is pulling from some plot line from The Real Housewives franchise but no, this is far from it. This is a play, “The Queen,” set in 16th century India, at the peak of the Mughal era. This is more than a mere showcase of power plays and cattiness.

Written and produced by Aditya Rawal, co-produced by Aman Soni, and directed by Gwynn MacDonald, their play that made its debut on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

Although this story is fictitious, the play centers around the character of Durga (played by Nilanjana Bose), who is inspired by Rani Padmini, a real 12th century Rajput queen. Amar (played by Alok Tewari), her husband and king in the play, is an amalgamation of Amar Singh, Uday Singh, Raja Bharmal, and Puranmal, four were real Rajput rulers.

Rawal sets the play up, explaining how, despite the timelessness of the play’s themes, his choice of a very specific era in Indian history was intentional.

“This story is completely fictional but it is set in an important time in Indian history. I wanted to write about the quandary faced by the Rajput kings, whether to ally with Akbar, or to fight him on the battlefield. Considering how the Rajputs held nobility and bravery in high esteem, this was a very difficult situation for many of the kings,” he said. “I found this situation very interesting and wanted to set my family drama against this backdrop. Since it is set in the 16th century, I am sure history buffs will find much to interest them in the play. That said, one will not find concrete historical facts because it is a fictionalized drama.”

There was deliberation on both Soni and Rawal’s end on what they had tasked themselves with, i.e., telling the story of a powerful queen, though they were both men.

“I always feel a little nervous when I am writing about something that I am not intimately familiar with, and the world of a middle-aged queen in the 16th century definitely falls within that bracket. Additionally, increasing attention is being paid to how women and characters of color are portrayed in films, television, and theater,” he said. “This has made most artists, including myself, pay greater notice to how they create their characters. So while we were definitely daunted by the idea of telling the story of this woman, we took it as an opportunity to challenge ourselves and explore the unknown, which is what I love about writing.”

[Photo Courtesy of The Queen]

He believes Gwynn has been simply fabulous every step of the way. Their preliminary discussions centered around what he was trying tell through the play. She also kept encouraging him to examine the character and her motivations for each action/line. “This helped me get to know the character I was creating much better.”

Though this play is set in the 16th century India, the positioning of women and themes of power or lack thereof, beauty, ageism, etc. are still relevant, even here in the United States, centuries later and far away from India. MacDonald agreed, that yes, indeed these themes do resonate today. Gender inequity in the distribution of power is at the root of so many social ills, including the global epidemic of poverty and violence against women we see today. She goes further, giving us a glimpse into the insightful laments of Queen Durga. At one point in the play, Queen Durga asks “Why must women and children pay for the weakness of men?” MacDonald sites this as the character “voicing something that reverberates not just in NYC, not just in India but, around the world and across the centuries.” “Myths of feminine beauty and ageism have had a strong hand in marginalizing women and devaluing their role in society. But where art and culture has balked against these injurious stereotypes, we see real women and recognize not only their contributions to society but their ability to lead it as well,” she said. “So I hope these problems will become a thing of the past, and I take the fact that an exceptionally talented young writer wanted his next play to be about a queen and not a king as a sign of this!”

How much of the queen character is based on Durga? Rawal explains that Rani Padmini, or Padmavati, was a legendary queen, who was renowned for her beauty and bravery. She lived during the 13th century and is said to have immolated herself, along with the women of her land, to prevent violation at the hands of their enemies. Durga, who wants to burn down the palace to prevent it being sacked, is greatly inspired by her. However, Durga’s true motives for wreaking havoc are up for debate.

[Photo Courtesy of The Queen]

The play is already being lauded for its content, direction, and its original score by Rhythm Tolee, a New York City-based Punjabi band that mixes Punjabi Folk, Sufi, and contemporary tunes.

Will non-Indians identify with this music? Like the themes of the play, does the music, too, relay a sense of timelessness?

MacDonald spoke of Rhythm Tolee’s enchanting ability to create a musical atmosphere that suggests not only geography and time but also tell a story.

“I think Indian music has had a big enough impact on western music and culture that non-Indian audience members will be transported but, not disoriented by the score. My greater concern is whether the music might be a distraction to Indians who are steeped in classical Indian musical traditions and might be trying out of fun and interest to work out the period instruments they are hearing but not seeing – as Rhythm Tolee will be using the sounds of period instruments via electronic means,” she said. “In each case, though, I think Rhythm Tolee has written a musical theme for ‘The Queen,’ which is absorbing and will speak to everyone in that visceral way that music does. The play, finally, is about a woman in crisis during the rupture of her marriage. Her pain is so deeply felt that dialogue is sometimes not enough, and that’s where the music can be terrifically moving.”

The Queen is playing from June 2nd to June 19th on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.