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To stage with LOVE The enthusiasm
generated by Aapki Soniya shows that theatre is winning back
old lovers. Aditi Tandon reports
The past few years have witnessed a resurgence of purposeful theatre in India. Appreciation for the medium has enhanced manifold and several fascinating themes have been handpicked for translation in the language of drama. Most striking has been the vengeance with which theatre has won back many old lovers who had long been snug in the glamorous company of cinema. But as is said, "It impossible to alienate first affections." Not only have legendary film stars like Naseeruddin Shah, Farooque Sheikh and Anupam Kher returned to the space of performance in the past, but Bollywood heartthrobs like Sonali Bendre have also found their new vocation in this realm. Sonali, along with Farooque Sheikh, was recently in Chandigarh to present Javed Siddiqui’s sequel to the much-acclaimed Tumhari Amrita. Opening to a jam-packed hall on March 3, in Chandigarh, Aapki Soniya became the third significant drama production to travel to Chandigarh in the recent past, the earlier ones being – Naseeruddin Shah’s Ismat Apa Ke Naam (September 2003) and Anupam Kher’s Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai (earlier this year). Significantly, Naseeruddin Shah’s production, like Siddiqui’s Tumhari Amrita and Aapki Soniya, is a tribute to Urdu literature. It celebrates the genius of Ismat Chugtai who made her life worthy of remembrance by chafing at parochialism in times when women were treated with disdain. When in Chandigarh, Naseeruddin had admitted, "I was into English theatre because I never knew writers like Manto and Ismat existed. I would call it the strategy of British who never allowed us to look beyond Shakespeare. But when I read Chugtai’s stories Boo and Lihaaf which were tried for obscenity in Lahore High Court, I could not resist the temptation of staging them." Naseeruddin Shah also made another production tiled Manto, Ismat Hazir Hon. Much like him, Farooque Shiekh has returned to theatre for the love of literature and for the sheer space the medium allows. He has not renounced cinema but has certainly found a new calling on stage, especially after playing the role of Zulfiqar Haider in Tumhari Soniya which featured Shabana Azmi. The sequel has been equally demanding for the exceptionally gifted star of Hrishikesh Mukherjee/Sai Paranjape films like Chashme-Badoor and Katha. As he tells, "It’s always difficult to play on past legacies. But Aapki Soniya is emotionally vibrant like Tumhari Amrita. Siddiqui’s script is alive every moment. It is so rich with the flourish of Urdu and the appeal of emotion that one help celebrating it. Cinema, for me, was an unplanned joyride but theatre, especially Tumhari Amrita and Aapki Soniya, has been a conscious decision." For Sonali Bendre, on the other hand, theatre has been all fun. She landed into Aapki Soniya, courtesy director Salim Arif who thought she suited the Indo-French character best. And though on stage, the gap between Farooque Sheikh and Sonali Bendre is tremendous, Sonali treasures the experience, despite lack of it. To her surprise, she has been better received on stage than on screen. Unregretful about the raw deal Bollywood gave her, Sonali is treading on new paths that lead to new destinations. She as such never charted her course. "I never even wanted to act, so being way from cinema brings no pain. Theatre has happened by chance, but I have enjoyed being on stage and communicating directly with the audience. I have also enjoyed speaking Urdu, which is the essence of Aapki Soniya. Notwithstanding
individual experiences of actors, one thing is certain — they are
happily detouring from mainstream cinema. |
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