Love is a happenstance. A sweet accident. The minute we feel drawn into someone’s presence or aura, we cannot help ourselves but get sucked in. Love is a strong force—a calling towards either bliss or hopelessness.

Love of that kind is seen in ‘Andhaveg’, which means metaphorical blindness in Nepali. The play was written by the legendary Balkrishna Sama, imagined for theatre and directed by Prabin Khatiwada. Written in the 1940s, we see the characters navigate societal norms and forbidden love in the story.

Pampha (Pramila Khanal) and Jaybir (Subash Timalsina) share familial ties. Pampha is Jaybir’s sister-in-law. One night, Jaybir and his mother arrive at Pampha’s house, and the minute he lands on her gaze, she cannot look away—she doesn’t want to.

Pampha’s husband (Anup Neupane), referred to as maalik (master) from the house help, is a simple man, who loves his wife. But he is blind-sighted to the fact that Pampha is slipping away from him. They have kids together, but this doesn’t stop Pampha from being drawn to her brother-in-law.

Pampha’s attraction towards Jaybir isn’t just physical. His way of speaking, playful mannerisms and singing captivate her. Despite being younger, Jaybir displays character and responsibility within the household. He quickly discerns his sister-in-law’s feelings but refrains from acting on them.

We get a glimpse of Jaybir’s true emotions when he rejects a marriage proposal on Pampha’s advice. Though he begins to develop affection for her, he acknowledges the obstacles preventing a relationship. Driven by intense love, he restrains himself just enough to prevent the situation from escalating.

As his infatuation grows, he begins to write poems about her. High on marijuana, he passionately recites his love poems to friends, using words to convey what he cannot express to Pampha. His friend Baikuntha (Barat Limbu) recognises the intent behind the poems and learns of Jaybir’s feelings for his sister-in-law. Cautioning him about social repercussions, Baikuntha advises Jaybir to understand the potential consequences of igniting such emotions.

“But I don’t care about society,” Jaybir responds boldly. In response, Baikuntha asserts, “My friend, I am society. I represent society. So listen to me.”

Swayed by his friend’s words, Jaybir suppresses his feelings. Meanwhile, Pampha grapples with her growing obsession towards Jaybir. Mhughi (Sarada Adhikari), the house helper, aware of Pampha’s situation, advises her to release the obsession and focus on caring for her ailing husband and children.

Her husband has fallen ill and this has taken a toll on the household. The children have stopped eating, affected by their mother’s overwhelming emotions. Her neglect of herself and her family is mirrored in the deteriorating condition of their home.

Pampha struggles to balance her uncontrollable obsession with Jaybir and her responsibilities at home. She finds herself neither fully committed to her house nor in control of her infatuation. Well-meaning advice from close ones doesn’t help her either. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Pampha keeps going back to Jaybir, despite his attempts to push her away.

Jaybir hides his sorrows with his outgoing personality and a smile. However, an internal conflict brews within him. He cannot let his family down, but he is also having a hard time resisting the alluring Pampha.

The clash between desire and logic grips both characters. They face the choice of doing what’s right or succumbing to their desires, risking the destruction of their family.

Timalsina does a good job portraying Jaybir, especially in scenes where he doesn’t have to move his body much. However, in moments where he had to speak while simultaneously moving his body, his movements appeared somewhat frantic and abrupt. The synchronisation between voice tempo and physical actions seems mismatched. For me, he was kind of overdoing the character and could have brought it down a notch.

Sundar Dhital, as the priest, performed admirably. His mannerisms and the way he concluded his dialogues with “Narayana, Narayana” brought life to his character.

While the actors did a decent job overall, there was room for more expressiveness. The play could have benefited from increased emotion in the dialogue delivery. Dhital and Sarada Adhikari excelled in this aspect, and with support from their co-actors, the play would have been even more charming.

Later in the story, Pampha’s ill husband discovers her intentions. When asked if he is doing well, he replies, “To get away from this world is to be well.” He tells her to pay attention to the children, but she doesn’t listen to him.

Logic loses its ground when love takes over. Intimacy sees no rules and doesn’t understand convenience. Pampha, teary-eyed, explains this to Jaybir, who tries to divert her thoughts towards his sick brother. As she expresses her love to him, Pampa’s husband kicks the door and it thuds as it hits the ground.

The loud sound is an indication of what’s coming. The love Jaybir romanticised in his poems, meets a grim conclusion. Fueled by rage and hurt by deception, Pampha’s husband resorts to violence. Pampha’s wail echoes in every corner, carrying pain and an unquenched thirst for resolution.

Andhaveg

Director: Prabin Khatiwada

Cast: Anup Neupane, Pramila Khanal, Subash Timalsina

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Shown at: Mandala Theatre, Thapagaun, Kathmandu

Timings: 5:30 pm every day (except Monday), extra 2:30 pm show on Saturday

Till March 31