New Delhi: History came alive on stage as the Delhi-based Babu Shivji Rai Foundation presented the grand theatrical production ‘Samrat Ashok’ at the iconic Shriram Centre Auditorium, Mandi House, earning thunderous applause from a packed audience. Mounted on a magnificent scale with 40 artistes and 22 visually rich scenes, the play emerged as a captivating portrayal of one of India’s greatest emperors.
Penned and directed by noted theatre trainer Kumar Veer Bhushan, the production traced Emperor Ashok’s extraordinary journey—from the era of Alexander’s invasion and his rise to the Magadhan throne, to his transformation from the ruthless ‘Chandashok’ into the compassionate ‘Dhammashok’ after the devastating Kalinga War. The play powerfully highlighted Ashok’s embrace of Buddhism, his vision of a welfare state rooted in peace, justice and coexistence, and his enduring legacy through the Ashoka Pillar and the ideals of compassion-driven governance.
The audience was mesmerized by the powerful performances of the ensemble cast. Monideep Kanjilal delivered a commanding portrayal of Emperor Ashok, while Kapil Malhotra (Bindusara), Deepak Gurve (Deepvardhan/Mahanayak), Mansi Brar (Sheela), Nitasha Kumari (Subhadrangi), Kashish Rai (Devi Bhagwati Shakya Kumari), Akanksha Gupta (Princess Prabha), Satyam Jha, Saumya Kumar, Akriti Jaiswal, and Manas Jha were among those who received widespread appreciation for their performances.
The supporting cast, including Kuldeep Singh, Aakrisht Goyal, Avinash Jha, Sandeep Kumar, Shiv Shankar, Shivam Kumar, Rudransh Kapoor, Shikhar Tiwari, Anju Singh, and Avishek Bhatt, added depth and authenticity to the historical drama.
Former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, who attended as the chief guest, watched the entire performance and later felicitated the artistes on stage, congratulating the team for bringing a glorious chapter of Indian history to life through theatre.
The production was supported by an enthusiastic organising team comprising Rizwan Raza, Geetanjali Chopra, Dilip Sharma, Suman Kumar Singh, Sanjana Tiwari, and Disha Mittal. The technical excellence of the play was ensured by Assistant Director Neelu Sharma, Lighting Designer Ritesh Kumar, Sound Coordinator Naveen Bhardwaj, Music Coordinator Aakriti Jaiswal, Set Designer Anil Pandey, Costume Designer Atul Dhingra, and Stage Compère Rini Singh, whose collective efforts made the grand production a memorable theatrical experience.
