Reality check

Actor Namit Das turns reality show host with Channel [V]’s Axe Your Ex

Actor Namit Das, who made his debut in Bollywood with The President Is Coming and followed it up with Wake Up Sid, is now being seen as a host on Channel [V]’s new reality show Axe Your Ex. He acts as the mediator between the contestants, who want to seek revenge against their former boyfriends or girlfriends, and the public. The actor, who was earlier seen in Zee TV’s Pancham, is hosting a reality show for the first time. He says, “It was purely luck by chance. I had hosted a show for NDTV Imagine Showbiz two years ago. The show’s producer shifted to Channel [V]. He called me and asked if I would be interested in hosting Axe Your Ex. I jumped at the opportunity.”

Apart from the concept, what prompted Namit to take up the offer was the platform to reach out to a wider audience. “Axe Your Ex has an emotional quotient and is also funny. As a presenter, it would give me a chance to tread new grounds. The timing is also interesting as Channel [V] is revamping itself. So it’s the perfect platform for me to connect with more viewers,” he explains.

The actor admits he feels good to provide people with the opportunity to seek revenge. But he’s quick to add that this new show doesn’t promote revenge. “There are two parties in the show, the offended who has been dumped unceremoniously and the offender who has broken off the relationship. Usually the offended doesn’t get a chance to confront the offender during a break-up. This show provides them with the opportunity to confront them and provide the perfect closure.” He, however, clarifies that the events are in a funny vein and not voyeuristic in nature.

Initially, Namit was apprehensive about his stand in the show. He says, “Earlier, I had thought that I would have a matter-of-fact tone and be slightly disconnected with the happenings. But after much contemplation and discussion with the channel authorities, I decided to be the sutradhar, the friendly anchor, who supports the contestant seeking revenge. Viewers will see the show through my eyes.”

Surprisingly the artiste too in his own way had sought revenge from his ex-girlfriend, who had left him to be with someone else. After she was dumped, Namit asked her out and while she was crying, he reminded her how he had felt the same way when she had ditched him. “It was more like a confrontation. At that time, if I had the national television’s support, I would have taken full blown revenge.”

Things seem to be looking up for the performer who is also acting in two plays, The Shahenshah Of Azeemo based on The Wizard Of Oz and Hamlet The Clown Prince. But Namit, who started off his career with theatre, says candidly that he is not taking up any new plays as theatre has taken a backseat due to time constraints. He will also be seen in Deven Khote’s Phillum City with John Abraham and in Pradip Sarkar’s Lafange Parinde with Neil Nitin Mukesh and Deepika Padukone. “I have got different character-driven roles in both the films. My co-stars right from Ranbir Kapoor to Neil Nitin Mukesh have always been very encouraging and supportive. It feels nice to be a part of a changing industry where everyone works as a unit.”

Quiz him if he has a secret wish list of directors he wants to work with and Namit says, “I’m open to working with anyone who has a story to tell and gives me an opportunity to explore myself.”

A fantastic journey

Theatre actor Trishla Patel makes her debut as writer and director with Kumbh Katha
After acting on stage for a decade with the Who’s Who of Indian theatre, launching her own company, T-Pot, was a natural progression for Trishla Patel. Quiz her about the significance of the name and she replies, “It can be interpreted in different ways. In theatre, we have lots of chai, so the simplest interpretation is tea- pot. But on another level, the pot symbolises a space of coming together of diverse ideas and T obviously stands for theatre. It’s also an ode to my guruji Satyadev Dubey. The name of his company was Theatre Positive.”

The actor’s first offering from her company is a fantasy play, Kumbh Katha. It is a story about the journey of two men who are separated by fate. The cast of the play is an interesting mix of age groups right from 9 to 45 years showcasing the journey of two men from their childhood to adults and their interaction with the people around them.

Trishla got the inspiration for this play from her visit to the Kumbh Mela. She says, “I had the basic idea of two boys setting out on a journey. Later, I went to the Maha Kumbh Mela. It was a rejuvenating and inspirational experience for me. This mass pilgrimage takes place at those places where four drops of amrit had fallen. This inspired me to make a fantasy play on the fifth drop of amrit. I decided to merge both the ideas in Kumbh Katha. “

Though the actor was writing a play for the first time, it took her less than two weeks to complete the draft. But the biggest challenge that she faced was hoping that the audience relates to the play. She says, “Writing is a lonely but fun experience. The only thing that I was constantly hoping was that the audience should follow and understand the sequence of events right from the beginning as Kumbh Katha has a non-linear format.” After the script was ready, Trishla faced an uphill task - of getting the cast right. “While directing, as I started gathering the cast, it kept increasing gradually. Now we have 20 cast members. We have roped in child artistes and also several volunteers from Prithvi Theatre.”

Sanjay Dadich and Trushant Ingle play the protagonists. The play had its own set of challenges for the duo. While Sanjay has been acting on stage since five years and has usually appeared in realistic plays, this is the first time he is seen in a fantasy play. “In realistic drama, you know what you have to do. But in fantasy plays, logic goes for a toss and you have to convince yourself to do something new and different.”

Eighteen-year-old Trushant plays Sanjay’s brother in Kumbh Katha. He drew a lot from his personal experiences to portray the role. He says, “In the play, I am disowned by my mother and she leaves me in an ashram at Ujjain. In real life, though I hail from Nagpur, I stay alone in Mumbai. So though the setting and timeframe aredifferent, I could relate to my character. Whenever I have to get emotional in the play, I recall several incidents that resulted in my personal loss.”

Kumbh Katha also marks the return of film and television actor Asif Basra to theatre after six years. He plays an asura in the play. “I portray the role of a devil who wants to become immortal. It was scary as well as inspirational to make a comeback to theatre as you have to constantly live up to people’s expectations. Since Trishla is a good friend, she’s aware of my strengths and weaknesses and used me for the right thing. I’m also acting with young people in the play, so it infuses a lot of energy.”

Kumbh Katha premieres on June 15 at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.

Bollywood calling

Over the last decade, over 30 foreign actresses have tried their luck in Bollywood as heroines, item numbers and cameos. With their number on the rise, Screen puts together a dummy’s guide to making the cut in Hindi cinema

There has been a steady influx of foreign actresses in Bollywood in recent years. In the last decade, 30 foreign actresses have made their debut in Bollywood. Though only British Indian actress Katrina Kaif has made a mark, that hasn’t deterred aspiring foreign actresses and models from trying their luck in the big, bad world of Hindi movies.

In the last two years, 11 actresses from various parts of the world made their debut in Bollywood. While only Jacqueline Fernandez from Sri Lanka and Barbara Mori from Mexico made their debuts as leading actresses in the high-budget Aladin and Kites, others like Giselli Monteiro, Florence Brudenell-Bruce, (Love Aaj Kal), Lisa Lazarus (Veer) and Sarah Thompson (Raajneeti) were seen in supporting roles.

Surprisingly, none of these starlets had any plans of acting in Hindi films. They had successful careers back home. For instance, Barbara had acted in several Mexican tele-serials like Mirada De Mujer, Amor Descarado, Rubi and films like La Mujer De Mi Her Mano and Violanchelo. Filmmakers Rakesh Roshan and Anurag Basu were keen on roping in a Mexican actress who could play the lead role in Kites. The duo met Barbara and after hearing the film’s story, she agreed to be a part of the project.
Similarly, American actress Sarah Thompson, who has acted in television shows - Angel and House and movies like Cruel Intentions 2 and Taking Chance - got a call from her manager, asking her if she was interested in meeting Prakash Jha. He had flown to the US to look for an American actress for Raajneeti. Since Sarah was always fascinated with India, she agreed to meet him. She heard the film’s plot and landed the role in the project.

However, now most foreign actresses are aiming for a long innings in Bollywood. Some of these starlets have bagged at least one movie, after their much-hyped debut. Giselli will be playing the lead in Red Chillies' latest film that will be released later this year. She is also endorsing Wills Lifestyle, PC Jewellers and Movil Mobiles. Brazilian hottie Bruna Abdullah, who made her debut with the “item” number Reham kare in Anubhav Sinha’s Cash, will be sharing screen space with Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor in Punit Malhotra’s I Hate Luv Storys.

Latina model Mariah Gomes, who created a stir with her raunchy number Teri neeyat kharab hain in Leena Yadav’s Teen Patti, is reportedly acting opposite Pratik in Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maaro Dum. Jacqueline's two films - Aladin and Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hain - might have sunk at the box-office without a trace, but she will be playing the lead role in Milap Zaveri’s next film. The foreign invasion has been astounding and the numbers continue to grow. So we spoke to the ladies themselves as well as a few directors to put together some handy tips to aspiring foreign actresses who want to make it big in Bollywood.

Look Indian:
The first step is that if you want to land plum roles in Hindi movies, you need to look Indian to fit into the film industry. So either you are born with it like Giselli and Mariah, who landed their initial projects thanks to their exotic Indian-like looks, or you need to change your appearance.

Pria Agni, a stylist, who has worked with a lot of foreigners says, “Indians are fascinated with white skin but they are biased against people with blonde hair. They usually perceive blondes as being promiscuous. In the earlier days also, vamps like Helen wore blonde wigs whenever they performed any raunchy “item” number. So almost all foreigners dye their hair black and wear contact lenses to be accepted in the film industry in conventional roles. That way, Brazilians have an advantage because of their complexion, dark hair and Indian looks. As long as they are not made to speak, anyone can easily believe that they are from the sub-continent. For instance, everyone mistook Giselli for an Indian in Love Aaj Kal.”

Learn Hindi:

You might land your first film, thanks to your looks but for a long innings, you need to learn Hindi. You can seek some inspiration from Katrina, who took Urdu classes to speak chaste Hindi as a politician in Raajneeti. The actress has come a long way from her earlier films where her voice would be dubbed. Jacqueline's voice was dubbed in Aladin, but she dubbed her own lines in Jaane Kahaan Se Aayi Hai. Now, she is learning Hindi for her next film.

Similarly, Sarah might not have signed any more films after Raajneeti, but she is keen on making it big in Bollywood. So she is not only learning Hindi since the last six months but is also educating herself about Hindi films. Born in India to French parents, Kalki Koechlin, who was seen as Chanda in Dev. D, knows Tamil fluently but is not well-versed in Hindi. Now, she is learning the national language but admits that she still has a long way to go. “Meri Hindi kaafi sudhar gayi hain, par abhi bhi bahut seekhna baaqi hain,” she says.

Find a mentor:

The right mentor will not only groom you but also help with contacts in Bollywood and land you good offers. Though Katrina was introduced in Boom by Kaizad Gustad, she received a lot of support from Salman Khan, landing roles in films like Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Partner, produced under his brother Sohail Khan's banner. He is also reported to have advised her on her choice of films and roles. Kaif has, in interviews, often expressed gratitude for his support and also mentioned director Vipul Shah's faith in her for Namastey London and Singh Is Kingg as crucial to her performances and career.

Director Anurag Kashyap has mentored Kalki even after Dev. D, her debut film. Till date he helps her increase her knowledge about Bollywood. She says, “Anurag doesn't influence my work. But there are many people in the industry whom I don't know, and I ask him about them.”

Have no hang-ups:

You will have an advantage over your Indian contemporaries if you are open to doing diverse roles. According to scriptwriter-turned-filmmaker, Milap Zaveri, foreign actresses are keen to try out something different. “Since they come from abroad, they are open to various suggestions and are keen on doing diverse roles. These actors are not familiar with Hindi, so they work harder on their performances. They have a killer instinct to excel and make a mark,” he explains.
Pria says that foreign starlets have no inhibitions about shedding their clothes and are quite comfortable in their skin. “While Indians are usually apprehensive about being seen in a bikini, foreigners are confident. Barbara revealed a lot in Kites but didn't look cheap. On the contrary, she looked confident and chic.”

Do some modelling assignments:

What do Katrina, Bruna and Mariah have in common? All of them were models before getting a break in Bollywood. Modelling will not only give you a chance to get accustomed with camera angles, but also help you understand how the industry works and help make some quick money. It will also help you get noticed by filmmakers. It's a known fact that Kaizad roped in Katrina for Boom after seeing her modelling work. Yana Gupta was the face of popular brands like Lakme and Kingfisher Airlines following which she was offered “item” numbers in Dum and Rakht.

Be hardworking and disciplined:

It sounds cliched, but hard work is the key to success. You have to be dedicated and disciplined. Katrina is known for her diligence to get every scene right. Jha says, “She is extremely hardworking and sincere. She always does her homework.” It might be recalled that while shooting for Raajneeti, the actress was told to repeat co-star’s Nana Patekar’s dialogues for which she was unprepared. She requested Jha to give her a day’s notice and forfeit her payment before the issue was amicably resolved.

As far as Bollywood is concerned, the girls will do well to remember that it is not getting in the race that matters, but staying in the run that will ultimately benefit their careers.

The world's a stage

Working Title’s latest project Dirty Talk, that takes a novel look at censorship, is a product of an international collaborative project

Theatre stalwart Jaimini Pathak’s and Nayantara Roy’s company Working Title has been involved with alternative offbeat work, with fresh voices and talent, over the last 10 years. They have strived to reach out to diverse audiences through their productions. Their latest project Dirty Talk takes this initiative further, albeit in a different way. Their new play is a product born out of Contacting The World festival, a biennial collaborative project for young people across the globe. As part of this project, six European theatre companies are chosen and teamed with six international companies. It creates a platform where artistes from different cultures interact and learn about each other.

After an exhaustive application process, followed by a theatre essay and a portfolio of work including a physical alternative device, Working Title was selected to be a part of the programme. They were then asked to work with a twin company, in this case, the Manchester-based theatre group 10pMix up to create a devised play that is born out of original script and expression.

Consequently, the writer-director of both the groups visited their twin company’s country to experience the difference in culture, life and theatre practice. Both the companies were given new processes on the basis of their twin’s work. While 10pMix up is producing a fantasy play on the royal Bengal tiger, Working Title came up with Dirty Talk that deals with censorship. “It’s a fun, young take on what voting and politics mean to the youth of today. Censorship is the biggest difference in terms of art between the east and west. As artistes, all of us feel very strongly about censorship. The whole motive of the experience was to break new ground,” says writer-director Nayantara.

Two artiste facilitators were provided to all the companies who contributed and gave their insights into the productions. “Our facilitator was Andre Pink, a Brazilian, who lent an intimacy and rawness to our play,” adds Nayantara.

Jaimini says the whole process comprising intensive theatre sessions and exchange of ideas was an eye-opener for the entire cast. “It promoted cross-cultural interaction. The whole theme of Dirty Talk is a humorous analysis of the freedom of expression. Since all the actors are below 25 years, the play provides a platform to young voices to express their feelings about various issues through the medium of theatre,” he explains.

The play also fits in with the ideology of Working Title that aims to entertain people with their plays and also create awareness about several issues. “For us, theatre is an act of communication that is memorable to the audience. We strive to entertain the public through productions that stays with them long after the play is over and compels them to think,” says Jaimini, who is also acting in Dirty Talk.

Theatre actor Anshuman Jha, who made his film debut with the Dibakar Banerjee-directed Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, will also be seen in this play. The actor, who has been working on stage since the age of 13, wants to divide time between theatre and films judiciously to do justice to both the avenues. “I love doing films but theatre helps me evolve as an actor. Moreover, as a performer, you always need to tap on new grounds,” says Anshuman.

The 25-year-old was enthused to act in this project as the whole play is devised through workshops. “It’s an enriching experience that promotes a healthy exchange of ideas between all the artistes.” Ask him how different is it from acting in a script-driven play and he says, “When you have the script, you have a clear idea about your character and you can study its graph on the basis of the lines provided to you. But it can be restrictive since you have do justice to someone else (the writer’s ) vision. In a devised play, since the characters are born out of the process, it is difficult to sketch out the character’s graph. But that’s where the challenge lies.”

Dirty Talk will premiere on June 22 at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.

'I had sleepless nights'

Shruti Seth shares her trials and tribulations about her first bold performance in Raajneeti

She has always been the girl next door. But Shruti Seth shocked critics and audiences alike with her dare-bare performance in Prakash Jha’s political drama Raajneeti. She has won rave reviews for playing an aspiring politician, who solicits herself to win a constituency ticket.

The role came at the right time for the telly actress, who was craving to break new grounds. But it had its own share of challenges. Shruti says, “It was a very difficult scene for me. I had sleepless nights for weeks together. It was a dangerous career move too. If it had gone terribly wrong, then it would have done severe damage to my career. But I’m thankful to people for applauding my performance.”

She bagged the role after the film’s associate director, who is also her close friend, suggested her to meet Jha. The actress recalls how the filmmaker professed that he wanted to rope in an actress who didn’t have a raunchy image. “Mr Jha described the character as a dangerous person who is ready to go to any extreme to get what she wants. An actress with a raunchy image would have been a stereotypical character for the role. The moment she would come on screen, people would have known what was in store. So Mr Jha wanted an unlikely person who could shock the audience,” she says.

The director also made it clear to Shruti that she should give her nod only once she is ready to give her commitment. “Mr Jha explained the scene to me (where I solicit myself to Arjun Rampal for a constituency ticket) and told me categorically that he would not do away with the scene as it’s very crucial to the film. He said that it would be shot aesthetically and if I had the slightest discomfort I should tell him and walk right away. But once I give my commitment, I should do full justice to it,” says the effervescent actress.

Apart from the opportunity to work with Jha, who is a critically-acclaimed director, what prompted Shruti to take the plunge was the challenge to step out of her comfort zone. “I have always had a girl-next-door image and played roles that are very similar to my real persona. So I wanted to do something different and challenging. Also, my character in Raajneeti is symbolic of the state of women in politics. I play a rich, well-educated girl who is subjected to different things to get into power.”

She is also quite upbeat about her next film, debutant director Raghav Dhar’s My Friend Pinto produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, where too she will be seen in a different avatar. She says, “I play a corporate bitch in the film. She is an ambitious person who is driven by her career and is proud of her achievements.”
Rather than being a difficult process, it was quite easy for the artiste. Shruti confesses that she didn’t have to try too hard to play the part as the script is well-written and the dialogues lend themselves to the character.

Apart from films, the performer is also enjoying the success of her television show Rishta.com. She’s quick to point out that her character in the show, Isha Mirchandani was the girl-next-door, albeit with different shades. “My character was loving, romantic, insecure, jealous and angry. I got an opportunity to go through various emotions and react differently to different characters.”

But she confesses that the current scenario on the small screen is not too exciting enough for her to take up any new shows. “Honestly, television has become a cloning machine. All the shows look the same. I’m not pinning hopes on TV shows. Also, I haven’t been offered any new shows.”

The actress is clear that she will do only those shows that excite her. It might be recalled that she did Rishta.com four years after Shararat. Quiz her what prompts her to take up anchoring shows and she says, “ I like anchoring shows as it keeps me connected to the audience.”

Apart from the professional front, things also seem to be looking up on the personal front. Shruti is tying the knot with Danish Aslam, who makes his directorial debut with Break Ke Baad starring Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone this year. She smiles and admits, “We met on the sets of Fanaa where he was the first assistant director. We have been together for four years. This is a big year for both of us. I got the most challenging role of my career and Danish is making his directorial debut.”

Like all love-struck girls, she is all praises for her beau. “Danish is an an extremely encouraging partner who always urges me to push the envelope.” Ask her, if he has seen her in Raajneeti and she reveals, “He has not seen the film yet. But I know it for sure that he will be watching it and give me an honest opinion. I’m waiting to hear from him,” she signs off.

'I had sleepless nights'

Shruti Seth shares her trials and tribulations about her first bold performance in Raajneeti

She has always been the girl next door. But Shruti Seth shocked critics and audiences alike with her dare-bare performance in Prakash Jha’s political drama Raajneeti. She has won rave reviews for playing an aspiring politician, who solicits herself to win a constituency ticket.

The role came at the right time for the telly actress, who was craving to break new grounds. But it had its own share of challenges. Shruti says, “It was a very difficult scene for me. I had sleepless nights for weeks together. It was a dangerous career move too. If it had gone terribly wrong, then it would have done severe damage to my career. But I’m thankful to people for applauding my performance.”

She bagged the role after the film’s associate director, who is also her close friend, suggested her to meet Jha. The actress recalls how the filmmaker professed that he wanted to rope in an actress who didn’t have a raunchy image. “Mr Jha described the character as a dangerous person who is ready to go to any extreme to get what she wants. An actress with a raunchy image would have been a stereotypical character for the role. The moment she would come on screen, people would have known what was in store. So Mr Jha wanted an unlikely person who could shock the audience,” she says.

The director also made it clear to Shruti that she should give her nod only once she is ready to give her commitment. “Mr Jha explained the scene to me (where I solicit myself to Arjun Rampal for a constituency ticket) and told me categorically that he would not do away with the scene as it’s very crucial to the film. He said that it would be shot aesthetically and if I had the slightest discomfort I should tell him and walk right away. But once I give my commitment, I should do full justice to it,” says the effervescent actress.

Apart from the opportunity to work with Jha, who is a critically-acclaimed director, what prompted Shruti to take the plunge was the challenge to step out of her comfort zone. “I have always had a girl-next-door image and played roles that are very similar to my real persona. So I wanted to do something different and challenging. Also, my character in Raajneeti is symbolic of the state of women in politics. I play a rich, well-educated girl who is subjected to different things to get into power.”

She is also quite upbeat about her next film, debutant director Raghav Dhar’s My Friend Pinto produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, where too she will be seen in a different avatar. She says, “I play a corporate bitch in the film. She is an ambitious person who is driven by her career and is proud of her achievements.”
Rather than being a difficult process, it was quite easy for the artiste. Shruti confesses that she didn’t have to try too hard to play the part as the script is well-written and the dialogues lend themselves to the character.

Apart from films, the performer is also enjoying the success of her television show Rishta.com. She’s quick to point out that her character in the show, Isha Mirchandani was the girl-next-door, albeit with different shades. “My character was loving, romantic, insecure, jealous and angry. I got an opportunity to go through various emotions and react differently to different characters.”

But she confesses that the current scenario on the small screen is not too exciting enough for her to take up any new shows. “Honestly, television has become a cloning machine. All the shows look the same. I’m not pinning hopes on TV shows. Also, I haven’t been offered any new shows.”

The actress is clear that she will do only those shows that excite her. It might be recalled that she did Rishta.com four years after Shararat. Quiz her what prompts her to take up anchoring shows and she says, “ I like anchoring shows as it keeps me connected to the audience.”

Apart from the professional front, things also seem to be looking up on the personal front. Shruti is tying the knot with Danish Aslam, who makes his directorial debut with Break Ke Baad starring Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone this year. She smiles and admits, “We met on the sets of Fanaa where he was the first assistant director. We have been together for four years. This is a big year for both of us. I got the most challenging role of my career and Danish is making his directorial debut.”

Like all love-struck girls, she is all praises for her beau. “Danish is an an extremely encouraging partner who always urges me to push the envelope.” Ask her, if he has seen her in Raajneeti and she reveals, “He has not seen the film yet. But I know it for sure that he will be watching it and give me an honest opinion. I’m waiting to hear from him,” she signs off.

What a woman wants

Noted playwright Henrik Ibsen’s classic play Hedda Gabler comes to Mumbai

Hedda Gabler, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s creation, has always generated a lot of interest amongst theatre lovers. While some critics have called her The Female Hamlet, Hedda has been touted by others as one of the greatest dramatic roles in theatre. Mumbaikars will now get an opportunity to get into the complex mind of this immortal and legendary character in a play by the same name.

Set in 1890s, the play revolves around Hedda, who ties the knot with George Tesman, an aspiring professor. But she is bored with her marriage after returning from her honeymoon. She soon starts plotting against the brilliant and dissolute Eilert Lovborg, her old admirer and her husband’s rival for a coveted academic post. In the process, Hedda is drawn into the clutches of the predatory Judge Brack, who is keen on establishing a menage a trois.

Noted actor Sheeba Chaddha is portraying Hedda’s role that has been earlier performed by reputed artistes like Ingrid Bergman and Cate Blanchett. Depending on the interpretation, Hedda may be portrayed as an idealistic heroine fighting society, a victim of circumstance, a prototypical feminist or a manipulative villain. Sheeba admits that Hedda is all this and much more. “She’s a very difficult character to play as she is extremely complex and conflicted. Hedda knows and believes something but she’s taken in by impulse and does something completely contrary. She continues to surprise me everyday. It’s extremely taxing to portray her.” The actor, who has earlier acted in C For Clown, The Blue Mug and Othello In Black & White, says Hedda has several dark and raw shades and is essentially an individual who grapples with social conformity, family and love and has an innate sense of conflict.

Apart from reading the text, Sheeba is interpreting Hedda as per the script. “The key process is the rehearsal. On my part, I’ve decided to portray the role with sincerity and diligence,” she adds.

A lot of parallels have been drawn between Hamlet and Hedda. Sheeba says, “Hamlet is synonymous with tragedy. There’s a sense of cosmic doubt in his character and he’s unable to grapple with his own life. Hedda, also is completely in conflict with herself.”

Apart from Sheeba, the cast comprises Neeraj Kabi, Denzil Smith, Samar Sarila, Tillotama Shome, Shipra Singh and Veera Abadan. Each character acts as a foil to another character. For instance, Tilottoma Shome, who is best known for her acclaimed portrayal of Alice in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding, is playing Thea Elvstead, who is the antithesis of Hedda. “She is everything that Hedda is not. She seems to be a simple woman but she’s definitely more than what meets the eye. She does all those things that Hedda always aspires to do but doesn’t have the courage to do,” says Tilottoma.

The actor, who has a Masters from the New York University in Educational Theatre, is making her foray in the Mumbai theatre scene with Hedda Gabler. The prospect of acting in a different medium with an equally different play prompted Tilottoma to participate in this project. “I like to step out of my comfort zone and do something challenging. Being too comfortable with anything makes me uncomfortable. Hedda Gabler was the perfect opportunity for me because the play is set in a span of 36 hours and the actors have to portray different emotions from one sentence to another. It’s a great exercise for an actor,” explains Tilottoma.

She admits that theatre is a risky business but that’s what makes it fun. “I follow the adage - decide nothing before going on stage and deny nothing when you are on stage. Theatre is about spontaneity,” says Tilottoma with a smile.

Hedda Gabler will be staged on July 3 at NCPA, Mumbai.

Get wet in style

Follow these style tips from celebs and fashion designers and look chic this monsoon

When raindrops start falling on your head, you might think that it’s not the best of the days to step of your house looking your glamorous best. But that downpour needn’t dampen your spirits. You can put your best foot forward with some useful tips from celebrities and fashion designers.

Bright hues

Monsoon is the perfect season to wear bright colours that not only elevate your spirits but also act as the perfect antidote to the gloomy weather. So bring out those fruity shades like marigold orange, pink, coral blue, turquoise, sunshine yellow, royal blue and hibiscus pink . “Avoid pastel hues as they get dirty and don’t look too good in this wet climate. You can also opt for darker shades like indigo, purple and blue,” says designer Nikasha Tawdey. Take a cue from Kareena Kapoor who was spotted in a short indigo blue dress at a recent event.

Fabrics for the rain

Stylist Pria Agni suggests that cotton and synthetic fabrics are the ideal choice. Actress Mahima Chaudhuri opts for cotton wear during the day and settles for chiffon and silks for the evenings. “Not only is cotton comfortable to wear but it doesn’t take too long to dry,” she adds. Nachiket explains that one can also opt for georgettes and crepes as they are low maintenance and stay crease free. Nikasha opines that one can choose outfits that are 98 per cent cotton and two percent of lycra. “A lycra element in your top or pants looks fresh, remains crease free and dries easily,” she explains.

Chic and comfy outfits

Women should opt for peddle pushers, capris, knee length pants and skirts. For casual wear, one can settle for shorts and T-shirts, while for formals, synthetic shirts and polyester slim fit trousers are a safe bet for men and women. Nachiket says, “Linen pants are a complete no no as they get limp with moisture and get dirty easily. Men can opt for cargo pants.”

Actress Sagarika Ghatge suggests a short dress or a good pair of shorts as the ideal casual wear for the monsoon. “For evening wear, you can opt for a jacket or shrug as it keeps you warm” she adds. You can seek some inspiration from Priyanka Chopra who is always comfortable in a short skirt. Men can take a cue from Salman Khan who was seen flaunting his biceps in a vest at Aamir Khan’s party or from Dino Morea, who is comfortable in a T-shirt and cargo pants.

Accessorise it right

Opt for neon gumboots, bright crocs or chic flats that help your feet stay clean, says Pria. “A quality umbrella is a functional accessory. One should also use a good weather proof bag to braze the rains. But stay away from flip flops as they get dirty easily,” says Nachiket. Mahima suggests that on a bad hair day, bright bandanas and caps can save your day. Scarves can be used as a head gear, stole or a cravat. As for jewellery, opt for multi-coloured anklets, thin plastic bangles and eclectic neck pieces. “I avoid wearing metal jewelry in the rain as it could rust them. I prefer wearing bangles and anklets,” says actress Arzoo Govitrikar.

Make-up essentials

Less is more seems to be the mantra for the season. Opt for a waterproof mascara, a kajal and some bright lip gloss. Mahima says, “During the rains, I always use bright colour lipsticks like orange, dark pink that light up my face instantaneously.” “I only prefer wearing waterproof make-up as it helps the make-up to stay longer and not get smudged,” adds Arzoo.

A tribute to Tagore

Renowned artistes paid homage to Rabindranath Tagore on his 150th birth anniversary at a cultural fiesta

Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore has been loved and revered by Bengalis. Apart from growing up listening to Rabindra sangeet (songs penned by the legend), natives of West Bengal have also been avid followers of his literary works. But the same cannot be said about the young generation of probashi Bengalis (who stay in other parts of India and across the globe). To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore, Mumbai-based Katha Group organised Homage to Tagore, a cultural extravaganza to introduce the bard’s literary works to Gen Next. Renowned artistes like actress Rituparna Sengupta, tabla player Bickram Ghosh, dancer and actress Sudha Chandran, sarod player Sanjay Chakraborty, actress Srila Majumdar came together to pay homage to the litterateur at Ravindra Natya Mandir.

Krishnendu Sen, chairman Katha Group said this event was a precursor to several such programmes that his group would be organising across Mumbai throughout the year to promote the legend’s works. He said, “Tagore and his philosophies, thoughts and dynamism have inspired me. As a group, we want to introduce the new generation to Tagore’s wisdom and acquaint them with their cultural roots. Tagore is the ideal icon for the youth.”

The group is also planning to produce a movie on Tagore that will span the last days of his life after he won the Nobel Prize. Penned by lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar and directed by Ujjwal Chatterjee, the film titled Sound Of Silence is currently in the research stage. “The film will be set in Shantiniketan. We decided to make a movie on Tagore’s life after he won the Nobel Prize as this phase of his life has not been chronicled in any film. It’s likely to release on Pochishe Baisakh (April 25) next year on his birthday,” said Sen.

As for roping in reputed actress Rituparna Sengupta and dancer Sudha Chandran for Homage to Tagore, he says, “Rituparna has always been known for her acting prowess but very few people know that she is an excellent dancer. Similarly, Sudha is an acclaimed dancer, so it’s interesting to see how she enacts a dance drama written by Tagore. The audience gets a chance to see these artistes in a different avatar,” Sen added.

This was the first time Rituparna was paying a tribute to Tagore in Mumbai. Clad in a simple top and a flared multi-coloured skirt, the actress enacted Tagore’s famous poem Sadharan Meye (An ordinary girl) that narrates the tale of an ordinary girl who falls in love with a foreigner. She later performed classical dance on few monsoon songs penned by the bard. “Like every Bengali, I have also been truly inspired and influenced by Tagore. He was a powerhouse of talent and wisdom. I have grown up listening to Rabindra Sangeet and performed in a lot of dance dramas written by him in Kolkata. We wanted to make his works contemporary and present it to Mumbaikars too,” said the actress.

Her performance was followed by a recitation from Gitanjali by famous host Sujay Prasad Chowdhury and actress Srila Majumder. Sarod player Sanjay Chakraborty provided the perfect background score for the recitation. Sudha Chandran enacted Tagore’s famous dance drama Chitrangada, the princess who fell in love with Arjuna and forsake everything. Sudha said, “This is the first time I’m enacting Tagore’s work. Culture knows no boundaries. I’m an artiste from the South who is performing on songs composed by a literary figure from the East who made India proud. It’s truly an honour.”

Renowned tabla player Bickram Ghosh enthralled the audience with his performance. He performed some numbers from his forthcoming lounge album based on Tagore’s songs. “The bard’s biggest rythmic contribution to music was the rupakra taal, which is a low end deep bass taal. We have taken this taal and presented it in a new fashion. We have taken the seven most popular songs penned by Tagore and added a contemporary touch by interjecting different frequency levels. For instance, we have taken a song and given it a sufi mode. We have added an electronica backdrop to another song that has a ’60s blues feel,” the musician said. When asked, what prompted him to come up with this album, Bickram said, “The current generation is very reticent to Tagore’s works as they feel it’s very retro. The whole idea is to reach out to them through this album. This is my way of paying a tribute to the bard.”

A tribute to Tagore

Renowned artistes paid homage to Rabindranath Tagore on his 150th birth anniversary at a cultural fiesta

Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore has been loved and revered by Bengalis. Apart from growing up listening to Rabindra sangeet (songs penned by the legend), natives of West Bengal have also been avid followers of his literary works. But the same cannot be said about the young generation of probashi Bengalis (who stay in other parts of India and across the globe). To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore, Mumbai-based Katha Group organised Homage to Tagore, a cultural extravaganza to introduce the bard’s literary works to Gen Next. Renowned artistes like actress Rituparna Sengupta, tabla player Bickram Ghosh, dancer and actress Sudha Chandran, sarod player Sanjay Chakraborty, actress Srila Majumdar came together to pay homage to the litterateur at Ravindra Natya Mandir.

Krishnendu Sen, chairman Katha Group said this event was a precursor to several such programmes that his group would be organising across Mumbai throughout the year to promote the legend’s works. He said, “Tagore and his philosophies, thoughts and dynamism have inspired me. As a group, we want to introduce the new generation to Tagore’s wisdom and acquaint them with their cultural roots. Tagore is the ideal icon for the youth.”

The group is also planning to produce a movie on Tagore that will span the last days of his life after he won the Nobel Prize. Penned by lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar and directed by Ujjwal Chatterjee, the film titled Sound Of Silence is currently in the research stage. “The film will be set in Shantiniketan. We decided to make a movie on Tagore’s life after he won the Nobel Prize as this phase of his life has not been chronicled in any film. It’s likely to release on Pochishe Baisakh (April 25) next year on his birthday,” said Sen.

As for roping in reputed actress Rituparna Sengupta and dancer Sudha Chandran for Homage to Tagore, he says, “Rituparna has always been known for her acting prowess but very few people know that she is an excellent dancer. Similarly, Sudha is an acclaimed dancer, so it’s interesting to see how she enacts a dance drama written by Tagore. The audience gets a chance to see these artistes in a different avatar,” Sen added.

This was the first time Rituparna was paying a tribute to Tagore in Mumbai. Clad in a simple top and a flared multi-coloured skirt, the actress enacted Tagore’s famous poem Sadharan Meye (An ordinary girl) that narrates the tale of an ordinary girl who falls in love with a foreigner. She later performed classical dance on few monsoon songs penned by the bard. “Like every Bengali, I have also been truly inspired and influenced by Tagore. He was a powerhouse of talent and wisdom. I have grown up listening to Rabindra Sangeet and performed in a lot of dance dramas written by him in Kolkata. We wanted to make his works contemporary and present it to Mumbaikars too,” said the actress.

Her performance was followed by a recitation from Gitanjali by famous host Sujay Prasad Chowdhury and actress Srila Majumder. Sarod player Sanjay Chakraborty provided the perfect background score for the recitation. Sudha Chandran enacted Tagore’s famous dance drama Chitrangada, the princess who fell in love with Arjuna and forsake everything. Sudha said, “This is the first time I’m enacting Tagore’s work. Culture knows no boundaries. I’m an artiste from the South who is performing on songs composed by a literary figure from the East who made India proud. It’s truly an honour.”

Renowned tabla player Bickram Ghosh enthralled the audience with his performance. He performed some numbers from his forthcoming lounge album based on Tagore’s songs. “The bard’s biggest rythmic contribution to music was the rupakra taal, which is a low end deep bass taal. We have taken this taal and presented it in a new fashion. We have taken the seven most popular songs penned by Tagore and added a contemporary touch by interjecting different frequency levels. For instance, we have taken a song and given it a sufi mode. We have added an electronica backdrop to another song that has a ’60s blues feel,” the musician said. When asked, what prompted him to come up with this album, Bickram said, “The current generation is very reticent to Tagore’s works as they feel it’s very retro. The whole idea is to reach out to them through this album. This is my way of paying a tribute to the bard.”

Cultural carnival

Eighty-nine artistes and technicians staged 12 performances in a first-of-its-kind three-day Gujarati theatre festival, Ek Ooncha Maylo Parogram

When Gujarati theatre stalwart Manoj Shah would travel to various parts of the country with his theatre company Ideas Unlimited, he was always fascinated by the tremendous response to his plays. Motivated by the impetus, he realised it was time to organise a first-of-its-kind three- day Gujarati theatre festival, Ek Ooncha Maylo Parogram, to create an awareness about the great works of Gujarati litterateurs amongst the younger generation. It was also the perfect opportunity for Shah to highlight the alternate theatre movement pioneered by his company by incorporating various art forms like poetry, essays, short stories, painting, music and folk traditions in its productions and analyse their plays in the last decade.

Shah chose the six best yet culturally-diverse productions of his company for the festival that was held from June 25 to 27 at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the works of writers like Chandrakant Shah’s Master Phoolmani, where you see the glory of Gujarati theatre in a Bhangvadi style musical, Shishir Ramavat’s Jeete Hain Shaan Se, a play that shows animals in a lab laughing on humankind, Bharat Naik’s Amarfal, the eternal story of Raja Bharatheri in which we had introduced Ahlam Khan, the daughter of legend Amjad Khan on the Gujarati stage. Then there’s Vinit Shukla’s Mareez, wherein you witness the dramatic life of a well-known Gujarati poet, Mihir Bhutta’s Jal Jal Mere Patang, a biopic of a Vedantic scholar M.N. Dwivedi, whose work was hidden for more than 80 years, Gujarat Ni Ashmita Hello Gujarati, a work of medieval era presented in a musical format,” says Shah.

The writer-director also felt that these productions catered to the classes and masses and were the perfect productions that depicted the various facets of the diverse Gujarati culture. These plays also used paintings as a visual medium and heightened the creative experience of the audience. Works of artistes like Bhupen Khakkar and Atul Dodiya were showcased in Master Phoolmani and Jal Jal Mare Patang. He explains, “Today’s generation is unaware of our rich and vast Gujarati literature and culture. These six plays were created between 1999 and 2010. They had the ability to create an awakening of the rich Gujarati cultural heritage among the younger generation. In theatre, as in other walks of life, there is the dichotomy of class and mass, these productions have the power to encompass both.”

Six platform performances were also staged by writers as an alternate means of entertainment that helped the audience to warm up for the main plays. When Shah approached acclaimed writer Uttam Gada to direct one such performance, the latter chose to make a satire on Gujarati writer Shri Gunvantrai Acharya’s novel Dariyalal and named it Red Sea. While the original story is set in the 17th century and narrates the adventures of sea-farers, Gada’s script revolved around the dialogue between the writer and a modern-day director who wants to film the novel.

“I chose Dariyalal firstly because it’s a masterpiece and the younger generation is not too familiar with it. Secondly, through my satirical take, I wanted to depict how literary classics are manipulated for commercial filmi ventures today. While Dariyalal means sons of the sea, in my take, the director translates it literally as red sea. That in a way depicts how he’s unable to understand the true meaning of a literary work,” says Gada.

Not only was this performance lapped up by the audience, but over all, the festival proved to a be a huge success with as many as 89 artistes and technicians participating in it. Inspired by the huge success, Shah is now keen on organising such festivals more often and spreading cultural awareness.

A tryst with theatre

Money makes the world go round. But what happens when there are many contenders vying for some easy cash while hiding some secrets of their own? Actor-director Imtiaz Khan’s new Hindi play Loot, that opened recently at Mumbai, takes a humorous look at this issue. Produced by actor Gautam Chaturvedi, who was last seen in Ekta Kapoor’s Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii as the reticent Gautam Bhaiya, Loot also marks the debut of television stars Mazhar Sayed and Chhavi Mittal. Amit Verma, Chaitanya Adib and Shishir Krishna Sharma comprise the rest of the cast.

The play revolves around two men, Freddy and Denny, who loot a bank. But after reaching home, they come to know about Freddy’s mother’s demise. Mr Mascarenhas, Freddy’s father, is attracted to Fay, his wife’s caretaker. The booty is stacked in the same house where Mrs Mascarenhas’s coffin lays waiting to be buried. To add to the chaos, a cop lands up at the house to investigate the case. Who finally gets a share of the booty forms the crux of the play.

Interestingly, Loot was written and directed 15 years ago by Khan where he had cast his brother, renowned actor Amjad Khan, as a cop. Imtiaz has decided to revisit the play and present it in a new avatar and a different language to theatre aficionados. “All of us have certain beliefs about the various institutions like the bureaucracy, the police, the nursing fraternity. But what happens when these professionals are quite different from what we believe? For instance, we believe that nurses should serve the common man, but what happens when a nurse deliberately kills a patient to earn some money? Loot is a black comedy about these institutions,” says Khan. The current political and social scenario prompted him to revisit the play and make it more funny and contemporary.

Chaturvedi, who makes his foray into Hindi theatre with Loot, is upbeat about his new venture. He admits it was the love for stage that prompted him to produce a play. “I have been an actor for the last 14 years, but never got a chance to do theatre. I always wanted to be associated with theatre. So I thought I should realise this dream by producing a play. Imtiaz, who is also part of my company, Pinetree Pictures, and I discussed few scripts. Finally, we chose Loot as it was a comedy play that could prove to be a perfect stress-buster for theatre lovers,” he says.

Chaturvedi, had earlier produced a Marathi musical Jallosh in 2007, wherein 14 television actors had narrated a love story in a live stage performance through the song and dance routine.
For Loot, he decided to give a break to his friends from the television fraternity. Quiz him if it was a cost-cutting measure and he says, “Not at all. We were looking for senior, good actors who were keen to do theatre. Moreover, all of them suited the roles and would be seen in a different avatar. Mazhar is playing an effeminate character, Chhavi is portraying the role of a sexy nurse, while Chaitanya is seen as a cop who always goofs up, someone on the lines of Inspector Jacques Clouseau of The Pink Panther.”

Sayed, who has always been seen in serious roles in Kaahin Kissii Roz and Saat Phere, is glad to do comedy for the first time. “I play a pansy who is in love with his male friend (played by Amit Verma). Initially I was a little apprehensive but eventually I agreed. Amit and I have been best friends since 10 years so we were very comfortable. I had earlier played a nachya (an effiminate character) for a dance number in Nach Baliye with Mouli Ganguly. It was just a three-minute sequence. But for the role in Loot, I had to be in character in front of a live audience for two hours. That was tough,” says the actor.

Mittal, who is best remembered as the simple girl next door in Tumhari Disha, is seen as a slutty nurse in the play. Rather than getting stressed out about the medium and the role, she decided to enjoy the experience. She says, “I followed the script and just went with the flow. Since the other actors had acted on stage before, they guided me. All of us gelled together as a team,” she signs off.

The age of love

Divya Palat’s new play takes a hilarious look at relationships and urges people to loosen up

Everyone, who has ever fallen in love, will agree that it’s the strangest yet the most universal emotion that makes you do a lot of crazy things that you wouldn’t do otherwise. Despite the light-hearted tiffs, serious quarrels and bitter-sweet arguments, you soon realise that you can’t live with or without that special someone. Actor and playwright Divya Palat highlights this fact through the lives of three couples in various stages of relationships and a man on an eternal quest of love in her new play Let’s Talk About Love. The couples comprise two teenagers who are dating, a duo living in together and a married couple.

Palat, who always wanted to write a romantic play, decided on this topic as she wanted to take a light-hearted look at relationships. “In general, I find people funny. But I find people in love funnier. Sometimes when I rewind in my mind the fights that I have had with my husband (actor Aditya Hitkari) I find it hilarious. And that’s the same across ages. When teenagers fight, they keep asking each other to hang up, which is quite silly but true. These small things make relationships hilarious. Let’s Talk About Love actually captures how people change over the years.”

Palat introduced a single man searching for love so that people who are not in a relationship can identify with him. “He’s a hilarious character who has a fixed idea about love and his searching for his ideal woman. Even in our every day lives, we have friends, who are single and those who are married or dating.”

The playwright, who likes to laugh at herself, encourages people to do the same through Let’s Talk About Love. “The audience can see themselves in these characters. It’s a real comedy based on people whom I know and the situations that I have been in. We tend to take ourselves seriously. But at times we should laugh at ourselves too,” says Palat, who wrote the first act this February after much prodding from her husband. She also performed along with the actors in a preview at the Kala Ghoda festival. It garnered a good response. “After the preview, the audience was quite excited and kept asking me questions about what happens to the three couples. That actually prompted me to write the second act and tie all the loose ends. I have deliberately made the second part funnier than the first.”

Palat has always presented previews of her works at the Kala Ghoda fest to understand the viewers’ reactions. “Over there, the audience has no illusions about what to expect. Their reactions say it all. It’s always a good yardstick for me to gauge my work and plan my plays accordingly.”

Palat is also acting in her new play with her husband. The duo is portraying a married couple. Quiz her, if the instances in Let’s Talk About Love, are based on her married life and she admits, “Some incidents are inspired from our lives.” Aditya Hitkari, who plays Palat’s husband, says sheepishly, “In reality, we argue but not as much as we do in this play. Let’s Talk About Love is unlike what our married life is. All the stories are interwoven and look at different stages of love.”

Karan Sagoo, who was last seen in fashion-based reality show Making The Cut on MTV and played a cameo in Rishta.com, makes his stage debut with this play. The actor, who has done theatre back home in the United Kingdom, is enacting the role of a man who is compelled to marry his girlfriend and becomes jittery after she gets pregnant. He confesses it took him some time to accept the different working style in India. “In London, usually the venue is booked for an exclusive performance and you get an opportunity to rehearse on stage continuously. That makes the performance natural. But that’s not the case in India. So I had to get accustomed to it. I also had to change my mannerisms to enact my character convincingly.”

Khushboo Hitkari, who plays a teenage girl in the play, sought inspiration from her own experiences. “In the first act, I play a college girl, while in the second act, I’m a working woman who shares a strained relationship with her former boyfriend. I observed people around me and thought how the concept of love has changed since the time I was in college. That helped me add a natural element to my character.”
Let’s Talk About Love will premiere at National Centre for The Performing Arts, Mumbai on July 24.

All About Friendship

Makrand Deshpande’s new play Poha Gone Wrong deals about existentialism and camaraderie

Change is the only constant in our life. But, over the years, the meaning of friendship has undergone a major transformation. A well-educated, naïve person is often termed as a bechara (poor fellow) and taken for granted by his pals. This basic thought proved to be a take-off point for actor, director and playwright Makrand Deshpande. He decided to highlight this issue in a contemporary setting with a mythological base in his new play Poha Gone Wrong that was staged recently at Prithvi Theatre.

The play revolves around three childhood friends - two sisters (an aspiring actress and a writer) of the Pohankar family and a Brahmin boy, Sudama, who is trapped in the epic times of the Mahabharata. He cannot snap back to the present because he strongly believes that he has an important mission to accomplish in that era, which would affect our mythological history. The sisters cannot relate to this unreal world he dwells in, and therefore find it difficult to accept him. This skirmish between the two worlds forms the basic premise of the play.

Deshpande says, “A poor Brahmin boy Sudama, comes to the Pohankar sisters for bhiksha regularly. But he suffers from a complex and realises that he can never become Krishna or the most revered friend of the sisters. As he grows older, he becomes a vidhvaan (the learned one) and starts dwelling on issues like why Krishna shared the Gita with Arjun when Sudama was his childhood friend and why wasn’t he given due importance by Krishna and asks him these questions.”

The play explores the trials and tribulations of a true friend (Sudama) who was never given due importance by Krishna. “If a book is written on Krishna’s life, Sudama will be mentioned only in a few pages. But his role was much bigger than that. In the play, I have also explored the possibility that if Krishna had told the Gita to Sudama, would it still be popular?” says the playwright.

Deshpande, who has always highlighted sensitive issues, wanted to explore how the meaning of friendship has altered. “Now, friendship which is a universal theme, is more about someone whom you take for granted and never realise his importance. Theatre is a strong medium to highlight it,” he adds.

The actor-director revisited the Bhagwad Gita to learn more about Krishna. It took him a month to pen his thoughts and turn it into a play. The biggest challenge that he faced was to ensure that the play communicates its message to the public clearly. “Poha Gone Wrong had to be unassuming to get the message across,” he adds. Deshpande is also portraying the role of Sudama. He admits that it has been an interesting experience to portray a mythological character in contemporary times. “I discovered more layers of Sudama while acting and learnt how it feels when you are sidelined by your friend.”

Poha Gone Wrong features Makrand Deshpande, Ahlam Khan, Raj Arjun, Neha Saraf, Sarika Singh, Bhupesh, Akash, Vinod Tharani, Mukesh Bhatt, Krishna and Ghanshyam.

All About Friendship

Makrand Deshpande’s new play Poha Gone Wrong deals about existentialism and camaraderie

Change is the only constant in our life. But, over the years, the meaning of friendship has undergone a major transformation. A well-educated, naïve person is often termed as a bechara (poor fellow) and taken for granted by his pals. This basic thought proved to be a take-off point for actor, director and playwright Makrand Deshpande. He decided to highlight this issue in a contemporary setting with a mythological base in his new play Poha Gone Wrong that was staged recently at Prithvi Theatre.

The play revolves around three childhood friends - two sisters (an aspiring actress and a writer) of the Pohankar family and a Brahmin boy, Sudama, who is trapped in the epic times of the Mahabharata. He cannot snap back to the present because he strongly believes that he has an important mission to accomplish in that era, which would affect our mythological history. The sisters cannot relate to this unreal world he dwells in, and therefore find it difficult to accept him. This skirmish between the two worlds forms the basic premise of the play.

Deshpande says, “A poor Brahmin boy Sudama, comes to the Pohankar sisters for bhiksha regularly. But he suffers from a complex and realises that he can never become Krishna or the most revered friend of the sisters. As he grows older, he becomes a vidhvaan (the learned one) and starts dwelling on issues like why Krishna shared the Gita with Arjun when Sudama was his childhood friend and why wasn’t he given due importance by Krishna and asks him these questions.”

The play explores the trials and tribulations of a true friend (Sudama) who was never given due importance by Krishna. “If a book is written on Krishna’s life, Sudama will be mentioned only in a few pages. But his role was much bigger than that. In the play, I have also explored the possibility that if Krishna had told the Gita to Sudama, would it still be popular?” says the playwright.

Deshpande, who has always highlighted sensitive issues, wanted to explore how the meaning of friendship has altered. “Now, friendship which is a universal theme, is more about someone whom you take for granted and never realise his importance. Theatre is a strong medium to highlight it,” he adds.

The actor-director revisited the Bhagwad Gita to learn more about Krishna. It took him a month to pen his thoughts and turn it into a play. The biggest challenge that he faced was to ensure that the play communicates its message to the public clearly. “Poha Gone Wrong had to be unassuming to get the message across,” he adds. Deshpande is also portraying the role of Sudama. He admits that it has been an interesting experience to portray a mythological character in contemporary times. “I discovered more layers of Sudama while acting and learnt how it feels when you are sidelined by your friend.”

Poha Gone Wrong features Makrand Deshpande, Ahlam Khan, Raj Arjun, Neha Saraf, Sarika Singh, Bhupesh, Akash, Vinod Tharani, Mukesh Bhatt, Krishna and Ghanshyam.

‘Pakistani actors are used as a publicity gimmick’

Director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan believes that artistes from across the border create an initial curiosity about movies but fail to attract crowds to theatres

I honestly believe that using Pakistani actors in Hindi films doesn’t really help a movie’s fate at the box-office. Indian filmmakers use these artistes to generate a lot of buzz around their movies. No matter, what kind of love-hate relationship we share with Pakistan, we are still curious to know about its citizens. And Indian directors and producers capitalise on this fact. But having said that, it does not attract the crowds to theatres. For instance: Tere Bin Laden is working not because of Pakistani pop singer Ali Zafar, but due to its story.

Similarly, the period when a film releases is also of utmost importance. Today when Tere Bin Laden, has been released, the political relations between both the countries are not so bad as they were few months back. But if the time is not good, then you end up facing a lot of difficulties just the way I did while filming my debut movie Lahore. Three years ago, when the relations between India and Pakistan were good, I had initially approached Jawed Sheikh, who is considered as Pakistan’s Amitabh Bachchan, for a role in my film. After narrating the script to him on telephone, he was eager to work with me.

I also wanted to cast Miss Pakistan, Mehereen Sayed, as the female lead for Lahore after meeting her at a bridal show in India. But soon the political relations between both the countries became very bad. The producers become wary that the negative publicity would affect the film’s marketing and box-office prospects. So I had to scrap my plans of roping the Pakistani actors. Finally only Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was roped in for a qawwali.

The second half of my film had to be shot in Pakistan. So I approached the concerned authorities for the requisite permissions but I didn’t get any reply. There was also a lot of backlash after the first teaser of my film was released. Finally, Lahore was never released in Pakistan.

Pakistani actors, however, are very professional and talented. They are eager to work and make it big in Indian cinema. They are recognised as stars back home only after they are accepted here. Roping in Pakistani actors who are based in South-East Asia is not a big deal. The real problem arises with those who stay across the border as they have to face a lot of work permit issues. Rather than facing so many hurdles, an Indian filmmaker finally thinks that he might as well cast some local talent.

In Pakistan, cricket and music are the two major forms of entertainment. Television is also quite big and has good opportunities but cinema is still looked down upon. They have neither the technical finesse nor enough theatres to screen films. So when actors from Pakistani films come down to India, it’s not a big deal because they are not stars in the real sense of the term. Initially, they take some time to understand the medium of Indian movies. And by the time they finally understand it, it’s too late as their film usually sinks at the box-office. The audience has given its verdict and they can’t manage to get any good offers.

But singers from across the border manage to get recognition here because they are constantly innovating and doing variations. The music scene in Pakistan is thriving. Naturally, when those singers come to India, their work is recognised and they get better feedback.

The cultural exchange between both the countries will definitely narrow the divide over a period of time. Till a few years back, neither of us knew about each other’s cinema and music. But today things are completely different. We know a lot more about Pakistani singers and music bands. Few years ago, the Pakistani film Khuda Kay Liye was also released in India. Similarly, even they watch our movies. During the making of Lahore, I met a lot of distributors across the border who know a lot about Bollywood. So things are progressing steadily.

The Art of Numbers

Acclaimed British Theatre group Complicite’s award-winning play A Disappearing Number that explores the mysterious mathematical collaboration between two experts


Two years ago when Sanjna Kapoor, Director of Prithvi Theatre, saw British Theatre group Complicite’s acclaimed play A Disappearing Number, she was completely floored by the unusual concept and exceptional production values. This magical production takes as its starting point the story of the most mysterious and romantic mathematical collaborations of all times - that of our mathematical genius Srinivas Ramanujan and his English counterpart and mentor G. H. Hardy.

The award-winning play premiered in the United Kingdom in 2007 and has subsequently been staged in various parts of the world. It features British and Indian actors born in the UK.

The moment Kapoor saw the play, she knew it had to be staged in India. “It moved me to tears. I wanted to bring it here because it featured Ramanujan and had an Indian connect. But I also knew it would be too difficult to raise the money. For two years, I tried hard to throw out the idea from my head.” Finally earlier this year, a professor from Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research requested her to bring down this play to India to coincide with the International Congress of Mathematicians held for the first time in Hyderabad in August.

The British Council also showed a keen interest in the play and following several months of activity, A Disappearing Number will finally be staged in Mumbai at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre on August 9, 10 and 11.

According to Kapoor, the play gives out the message that man can achieve far greater goals through collaboration. The story about a young Indian genius and an elderly British mathematical expert touches on serious topics with playfulness and encourages a spirit of curiosity. It perceives maths as a form of art and explores its unique connection with theatre. “When we plan to bring down any foreign production to India, we focus on three main issues. Firstly, there should be no compromise on the production values, secondly it should provide a supreme experience to the audience and thirdly it should make people curious about theatre,” says Kapoor.

This is not the first time that Prithvi Theatre is bringing down a play from Complicite. They had earlier staged noted litterateur William Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure in 2005. What has prompted Kapoor to bring down the acclaimed group’s plays in India repeatedly is to familiarise the Indian audiences with their productions. “Complicite is one of the top five theatre groups of the world and the finest example of British culture. I had first heard about it from my aunt actress Felicity Kendall 12 years ago. I went and met them. They were supposed to come down for our festival in 2000, but that didn’t happen. I had first seen their play An Elephant Vanishes, a Japanese play, in 2003 which was magical.”

In 2008, Prithvi Theatre was very close to staging A Disappearing Number in Mumbai. But the company abandoned the project following the 26/11 terror attacks in the city.

Prithvi Theatre has also organised a series of programmes till the first week of August as a precursor to the play. It’s celebrating Maths Month with a host of films, music performances and workshops based on the subject. In collaboration with the British Council, it also organised a unique interdisciplinary science and drama five day workshop called as Hive Mind Project. Led by mathematician Victoria Gould, who has also worked with Complicite, it brought together school teachers and students and explored how the world we live in is governed by mathematical principles. It has also organised a Maths Mela, which travels across schools and colleges across the city and includes a maths lab, film screenings, animation, live performances comprising readings, juggling and games.

Adam Pushkin, Head of Arts and Creative Industries, British Council, said, “We conceptualised and started working on this concept since last November. Maths is usually perceived as a serious subject. The whole idea was to energise students and young people, make them look at maths as a fun subject by exploring concepts in our daily lives.”

Revisiting the Mahabharata

Preeta Mathur


Preeta Mathur portrays various characters of the epic and raises serious questions in theatre group Ank’s 75th production, Prashna Panchali


Joys and sorrows are an intrinsic part of our lives. But it’s only when the going gets tough, that we start questioning things around us and seek answers from the Almighty. However, is it worth asking these questions and hurting ourselves further or should we just accept things the way they are? Theatre stalwart Dinesh Thakur’s new play Prashna Panchali explores all these issues through the eponymous characters of Mahabharata. Based on modern poet Sunita Budhiraja’s work by the same name, the play is a solo performance of poetry in Hindi. It’s quite special for Thakur as it is his group, Ank’s 75th production and the first solo performance show staged by his team. It also marks his return to the theatre circuit as a director after two years following his illness.

The stalwart along with his wife, actor Preeta Mathur, felt that they should stage a play on Buddhiraja’s work after reading it. Mathur read the 200 pages book, which is in free verse Hindi, and chose those parts that could be weaved in a one-hour play. She chose the characters of Kunti, Karna, Arjun, Draupadi, Bhim, Duryodhan, Gandhari and Krishna. Says Mathur, “After reading Prashna Panchali, I felt that the free verse Hindi should not only be read but also heard aloud. As Draupadi was the focal point, I chose those characters who are directly linked with her.”

The Mahabharata is a mirror of our society. In the play Draupadi asks some questions, the answers to which we have been striving to find till date. She questions why don’t the elders help her when she is being disrobed by Dushasan or why Arjun, whom she loves, doesn’t reciprocate her feelings? Similarly, the other characters have questions for themselves and for Draupadi.

Prashna Panchali also questions whether the Mahabharata, that was completely orchestrated by Krishna, was worth the entire war as it involved so much of anguish, bloodshed and suffering.

Mathur says, “In the play, the epic is perceived from the points of views of the Pandavas, Kauravas and Karna. So Arjun asks why didn’t Draupadi oppose when she was married off to all the Pandavas by Kunti. If she was married only to him, then he would have protected her and she would never face any humiliation by the Kauravas. Duryodhan says that his mother Gandhari had blindfolded herself and refused to address his concerns. So when he is deprived of his parents’ love, why should everyone expect him to be understanding? Karna asks Kunti why he should be sympathetic towards her sons, the Pandavas, when she had abandoned him after birth?”

The play also looks at the common perception that Gandhari had blindfolded herself as an act of sacrifice. “Was it really an act of sacrifice? Because usually, when a woman’s husband is physically-challenged, it’s believed that she should be his biggest support. But in this case, Gandhari’s act can also be perceived as that of detachment, she chose to blindfold herself to detach herself from the suffering,” explains Mathur.

The actress, who enacts all the characters in the play, read several contemporary works based on The Mahabharata to get a better understanding. Though she won’t be changing any costumes, she is portraying the diverse roles by adopting different stances and playing with her voice levels.

Prashna Panchali will be staged at Prithvi Theatre on July 28.