Opening many eyes

Interesting Act

The underlying message of the play was the need to preserve the religious, cultural and philosophical traditions of India that find no place in urban India today.

The play took a dig at the mall culture and the absence of roots among the upper middle class in India; most of them sadly stuck in the vicious cycle of materialistic fulfilment.

It also spoke of urban India’s fascination with the white skin and the lack of nationalist sentiments among the young.

The story revolved around an upper middle class Maharastrian family in Mumbai whose patriarch Dr Deshpande leads a semi-retired life with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandson.

Deshpande is a good Samaritan who finds employment for a Muslim boy, Ali, the husband of the family’s maid, in a hotel. At the hotel, Ali discovers a plot to bomb the Siddhivinayak Temple.

The plot is thatched by Skarne, a European terrorist, who intends to create religious disharmony through his devious plans.

Skarner’s role was beautifully portrayed by Rajat Kaul, who depicts a disgruntled India-hating Westerner.

The story unfolds with Ali informing Deshpande about the evil Skarner and Mumbai being miraculously saved by Lord Ganesha because of their prayers.

The storyline, though unreal, made a mockery of our Urban Views.

The scene between Deshpande and his daughter-in-law Madhavi, describing the richness of our culture was an eye-opener to many in the audience.

Dharinee Bapat as the enlightened daughter-in-law Madhavi, requires special mention for depicting the powerful character with conviction.

Dilip Merla, as her disinterested husband, portrayed the quintessential urban lad whose only ambition in life is to make pot loads of money. He was a delight to watch.

Parimala Shivaraman, a member of the audience, said, “This play is very relevant in our times and has a wonderful message. It is  applicable to the present generation who are getting Westernised at an alarming pace. I am a grandmother and have seen three generations in my family. I find it very hard to inculcate our culture in my grandchildren. This is a wonderful medium and many more such plays need to be shown.”