Faezeh Jalali's BONE OF CONTENTION IN COSMOPOLITAN CHS...the metaphor of the bone in depicting problems in society was brilliant.
Your favourite adda to see a play...
Prithvi Theatre
Your favourite playwright...
Mohan Rakesh
Your favourite play-character...
Meer Sahab in Bade Miyan Deewane
A play you would like to see filmed. Why?
AAJ RANG HAI...because the story touches the heart..the play makes you feel the pain people went through at the time of Partition because of religious riots ....it has a strong social message.
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
The novel AADHA GAON by Rahi Masoom Raza. because he has portrayed the hidden caste system among Muslims in its true sense in this novel...this novel tells us the extent to which people are faking their religion....it's a very good satire on the government of that time. We can clearly observe the similarity in behaviour of government of that time (Congress) and the government we have now..
The most hilarious play you have seen...
PIYA BAHRUPIYA and STORIES IN A SONG
A play, which is over-hyped...
CHUHAL
An important play (but ignored)...
EK PUNJAN YEH BHI directed by Danish Husain
A play character you would like to "dialogue" with...
Meer Sahab in BADE MIYAN DEEWANE
A passage from an important play that you can recite...
Munnu Mama from AAJ RANG HAI..
ki maine shahansha hona chahta hoon..yeh jo andaaz tera jo shahi hai, ek hawa deewani aisi chali kie dil ki gali mahkayi hai...ab ye dil mera dil nahi. dilli hai...
A play that changed your perception about the theatre....
AISA KAHTE HAIN directed by Manav Kaul and HAMLET by Rajat Kapoor
How do you regard the Mumbai theatre scene?
We have good writers and directors in the theatre..and the new people like Raghhav Dutt, Gagan Dev Riar, Nitin Bharadwaj, Sapan Saran, Lokesh Rai, Pawan Uttam, Saurabh Nayyar, Akriti Singh, Poorva Naresh, Trishla Patel, Faezeh Jalali... and so many have added to the quality and quantity both. Most of them are writers as well as directors, which is a good thing.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
I have been following Deepa Gahlot's articles related to theatre and theatre personalities... I find them quite informative and enriching.
If you have ever been a part of a theatre production/s, can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous?
I have been part of the production of plays like Daya Shankar Ki Diary, Begum Jaan, Court Martial, Suman Aur Sana, etc ....Nadira (Babbar) maam was writing a play ROSHMAI KA SAFAR to be performed at Prithvi but she fell ill and was unable to write.. she asked me whether I can write the play for her...I felt very privileged and was afraid also but I said yes without knowing myself whether I or not I wrote a play for the first time..and directed it also again for the first time. it was Nadirajis confidence in me that made me realize that I am a writer and director also.
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
A DISAPPEARING NUMBER.. each and every segment was so beautifully done; from concept to execution it seemed so flawless.
Your favourite director/actor/music or set designer...
Director: Atul Kumar, Rajat Kapoor and Sunil Shanbag
Actor: Naseeruddin Shah, Atul Kumar and Gagan Dev Riar
Music: Gagan Dev Riar
Set Designer : Dhanedra Kawde and Sunil Pandit
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed...
HAMLET
Life in the theatre without the humble batata-wada or the cutting chai... or can you recall the best gastronomic experience you've had in the precincts of the theatre to date?
In Pakistan I had best Mughlai when I went to perform JASMA ODHAN, and best Chinese in Taipei when we went to perform KHWAB SA.
Imran Rasheed
