JOIN USA sporting saga on stage
In India, the game has made its presence felt in every field and no person can stay away from its influence. Doosra, an English play, capitalised on this hype very well and effectively brought out the politics and lobbying in the game.
Presented by Paradigm and PraKaSam on behalf of K H Kalasoudha, the play treated the audience to one of the best cricket sagas on stage.
Staged at K H Kalasoudha, Hanumanth Nagar last weekend, Doosra saw a full house audience despite the heavy rainfall.
The story of the play revolves around an ambitious and talented cricketer, Ganesh Vishwanathan, who gets selected to the national cricket team.
Ganesh’s father was a Ranji player and had also played for Railways. But his dream to represent the national team never materialised. So, he dedicates his life to get his son selected to the Indian cricket team and succeeds in it.
The play effectively brings out the concerns of a typical middle-class South Indian family through Ganesh’s parents. Ganesh, who was earlier ignorant about the politics in the game, witnesses the politics off the field.
His transformation from an ambitious young sportsman to a youth icon was portrayed very well. The most entertaining characters of the play were the minister, who is
also the President of the Board of Cricket but knows nothing about the game, and a team mate of Ganesh.
Even the conversations between Ganesh’s parents on the game evokes laughter.
Doosra entertained all kinds of audience. The play shed light on the current problems like match-fixing, commercialisation of the sport and regional politics. “I had written a short story after former Indian captain Azharuddin got into a match-fixing controversy.
This stage adaption is based on that short play but I have brought in considerable changes to suit the present situation. We have received a wonderful response from the
Bangaloreans and hence we are planning to have a Kannada version of the
play in future,’’ says Anand Raghav, who wrote, directed and acted in the play as father of Ganesh.
On the whole, the play is worth watching for its appealing cast, humorous and witty dialogues. As the video footage of cricket is used in the play, one feels that one is watching cricket live.