The Dogri play “Habba Khatoon”, presented by Rubaroo Theatre, was successfully staged on June 22 at the LTG Blank Canvas Auditorium in New Delhi. Written and directed by renowned playwright and theatre artist Kajal Suri, the play powerfully brings to life the story, love, and sorrow of Habba Khatoon, the celebrated poetess of Kashmir.
What made this performance truly remarkable was the fact that none of the participating actors were native Dogri speakers. Yet, they delivered their dialogues with such finesse, capturing the sweetness, rhythm, and emotional depth of the Dogri language, that the audience responded with heartfelt applause.
The play not only brought renewed attention to the richness of Dogri language and culture, but also beautifully depicted the shared heritage of Kashmir and Jammu on stage. The character of Habba Khatoon was portrayed as a woman of free thought and poetic spirit, vividly expressing her struggles and emotions through verse.
Main cast members included: Jaskaran Chopra, Annu Sharma, Harshit Singhal, Shubham Sharma, Sukhnandan Bindra, Geeta Sethi, Dharm Gupta, Vinayak Dwivedi, Varsha Panthi, Rashi Sethi, Neeraj Tiwari, Vaibhav Paul, Tarun Maggo, and Bhupesh.
Makeup: Mohammad Rashid
Music Direction: Praveen Yadav
Lighting Design: Jerry Roy
The occasion was graced by the presence of several distinguished guests, including:
Raman Kesar – Eminent broadcaster and Dogri author, Keshav Mohan Pandey – Senior publisher, Jeetu Singh – Astrologer, Vinita Kambiri – Educationist and poetess, Vikas Mangotra – Dogri writer, Prof. S.S. Dogra – Author and media expert, Naresh Vats – Senior TV journalist
This performance powerfully conveyed the message that language is not limited to one’s mother tongue—it is a bridge that connects hearts and cultures. Habba Khatoon emerged as a vital link in Dogri theatre, and Rubaroo Theatre’s effort stands as an inspiring contribution to the promotion of art, culture, and linguistic harmony.
