Writer : Shiv Subrahmanyam Direction : Divya Jagdale Cast : Girija Oak, Snigdha Anand Prakash, Gagan Shrivastava and Ghanshyam Lalsa
KHICHIK (SNAPSHOTS) Review
KHICHIK is a regular romantic comedy slice-of-life story that falls right in the middle of all other mainstream romantic comedies: the story of a couple loving and fighting over the decades. There's some late 80-90s nostalgia with Walkmans, clothing and retro music generously sprinkled in, their opposing personalities and political viewpoints providing fodder for domestic friction. As time goes by, the innocent sweet nothings of teenage change into the rage and regrets of middle age.
So, what's different? To this question, there is one answer: the absolute standout performance of Snigdha Anand Prakash as Pooja Khanna, the straight talking, corporate deal maker who doesn't think twice before going for her corporate rival's jugular. Her family's army background has molded her patriotic sensibilities, and she doesn't care too much for being politically correct. But she is also funny and loving and innocent, sometimes naive.
Prakash gives an extremely physical performance, her twinkling eyes easily conveying a hundred emotions, her lithe dancer's body a great instrument for physical comedy. She transforms from a naive lovelorn teenager to a corporate boss-lady and then to a weary middle-aged woman with such ease that you don't for a second doubt the authenticity of the age of the character. Prakash is completely captivating on stage, and if there was one reason to go watch the play, her performance would be it.
Ghanshyam Lalsa plays Sanjeev Menon, a history student in college and later, professor, who's left leaning political views and shy, gentle demeanor contrast Pooja's nicely.
There is added physical comedy between scenes from the backstage assistants who often pose as the household help while rearranging set pieces, carrying our tea for our characters or sweeping the floor.
If there was a missing piece, it is perhaps the untold part of the story between going away to universities in different countries and ending up as a married couple and parents of two. But enough world building has preceded the second act that one can imagine exactly how these two characters got together.
A special shoutout to costume designer Kirti Soni, set designer Vivek Jadhav and light designer Vikrant Thakar, whose beautiful work helped create a more lived-in production.
Overall, the comic timing, line delivery and striking chemistry between the pair make this play a wonderful watch that, perhaps, if you were in the mood, you wouldn't mind going to rewatch - like putting on a DVD of your favorite 90s romcom on TV again.
*Neha Shende is an avid theatre-goer and enjoys watching old Bollywood movies in her free time.
