Samuel John at Hardo Pharala

In March 2018 Basant Foundation invited Punjabi theater and film actor/director Samuel John to stage a play at a cultural program
in Punjabi village Hardo Pharala organized by the Foundation. The village happens to be the birthplace of the Basant Foundation’s chairperson Baldev Singh Bath. Samuel John is well known people’s dramatist who has staged plays by several Punjabi playwrights and by great non-Punjabi playwrights such as Shakespeare and Brecht.

His play at Hardo Pharala on farmer suicides(Kirti) touched the audience deeply. Suicides by Punjabi farmers is a recent phenomenon that has sadly become common. Samuel’s play encouraged farmers to love life. Later a musical program also entertained the audience.

In 2017 Samuel John came to perform in Vancouver, Canada, at the invitation of the University of British Columbia. Besides his performances he also attended several literary gatherings including one at the residence of the Foundation Chair Baldev Singh Bath who had contributed to Samuel’s performances.