April, 2007 Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi
Playwright: Mohan Maharishi
Director: Mohan Maharishi
Producer: Udbhav Arts

Habiart Foundation presented a play Vidyottama, based on the life of Kalidasa at the Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi to an enthralled audience.

Vidyottama is a contemporary play reassessing history, with a gender perspective, very subtly highlighting the untold story of women's contribution to art and literature. Vidyottama is not a mere inspiration for Kalidasa but an actual equal partner in creation. The spectator is made a privileged viewer of the entire process of creation and in the end, it is left to him to decide as to who then is the actual creator.

‘For us the value of a work of art lies both in the modicum of expression as well as in its ability to sensitize the imagination towards hitherto unforeseen innuendoes and subtle implications. Mohanji has very successfully combined the known reality with the possibilities of such innuendo. This is a play that will be remembered for a perfect match of genre and content, and an equally brilliant exposition of actors’ inherent capabilities.’ - ‘Dr. RATNA LAHIRI’

‘After centuries, an enquiry into the role of Vidyottama in the writing of the great poet Kalidas has been envisioned. There is a fine line between truth, imagination and perception. Many a times, what appears to be imagined, perceived keenly emerges as the truth. Looking at Kalidas from a gender perspective has been interesting experience for us.’ - ‘Rekha Mody’