While some players make a fortune, there have been many instances where Nepal has lost talented players due to uncertain future while on the path to a flourishing career.
Nepali sports is heavily laden with stories of players vanishing from the venues while participating in international events, financially and socially struggling after incurring fatal injury, leaving their career midway because of family pressure or failing to make a mark due to favoritism and political game play in Nepali sports.Inspired by these numerous stories of Nepali players, theater artistes from Mandala Theater orchestrated a brilliant play-'Life and Struggles of Nepali Players', at the Theater Village in Lazimpat, during the Nepal National and International Players Association's annual award ceremony last Friday.
Written by Rajan Khatiwada and directed by Mohammad Nazir Hussain, the shadow play depicted numerous stories based on Nepali players' lives, using numerous metaphors.
Told through the perspective of Ratna Bahadur Tamang, who worked as a security guard at the Dasharath Stadium for more than three decades, the play opened up with players greeting Tamang in different styles-some shaking hands, some doing 'Namaste' and some high fiving him.
"Players are like different types of flowers on different landscapes, adding beauty and fragrance with their respective achievements. While some of them are still blooming, others have slowly lost their path in life," narrated the fictional Tamang.
Then the play delved into the story of a swimmer who is pressurized to quit the sport and take a job at a reputed office. Driven by her passion, she tears her contract letter and continues to pursue swimming despite all odds.
The play moved forward with the story of a basketball player who is forced by his parents to hold a book under his arm instead of dribbling the basketball. A footballer struggles after failing to make his mark while a karate player is given an emotional farewell by his parents when he's compelled to go to Middle East to work as a laborer.
A weightlifter was fortunate enough to surpass all hurdles (portrayed through two people stepping on the weights at both ends) and being a successful player.
A metaphor of a column of ants thwarting an elephant showed players defying all odds and succeeding in their respective sports.
The play ended with Ratna saying "Sports (or stadium) is a common plate from where different players eat at the same time. But the intensity of their hunger differs."
The most impressive part of 'Life and Struggles of Nepali Players' was the awards that were given away as part of its plot.
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