THE LIVING ROOM, written and directed by Kalki Koechlin.
Your favourite 'adda' to see a play
Prithvi, of course.
Your favourite playwright
Out of the experiences of my most recent forays, that would be Mike Bartlett.
Your favourite play-character
Hamlet. I'd love the chance to play him.
A play you would like to see filmed. Why?
PIYA BEHRUPIYA, directed by Atul Kumar. It would be a brilliant period masala entertainer!
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
If you'd include graphic novels, I'd love to see an epic, big budget lavish stage production of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. It's an incredible story and theatricality is inherent to it.
The most hilarious play you have seen?
Allow me to name more than one: PIYA BEHRUPIYA, directed by Atul Kumar; HAMLET: THE CLOWN PRINCE, directed by Rajat Kapoor; BADE MIYAN DEEWANE, directed by Imraan Rashid, and a Moli�re adaptation by my mother Sushmaa called DOCTOR SUKHI MAREEZ DUKHI.
A play, which is over-hyped?
Every play does have its audience so I won't get specific in answering this; however some plays that base their financial model on the mere presence of big names in the cast often lack ambition in terms of stagecraft and are described more loftily than they should be.
An important play (but ignored)
The poorly received Indo-French collaboration GATES TO INDIA SONG from 2013.
A play character you would like to ''dialogue'' with
Pontius Pilate from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, directed by Aleque Padamsee. I don't envy his burdens!
A passage from an important play that you can recite
The "Frailty thy name is woman" section from HAMLET.
A classical play that you should have read
Would love to be better acquainted with the Sanskrit and Pali classical plays: the plays of Kalidasa, and the famous MRICHAKATIKA by Sudraka.
A play that changed your perception about the theatre
I wouldn't say "changed" but I absolutely loved Simon McBurney's A DISAPPEARING NUMBER.
How do you regard the Mumbai theatre scene?
With great positivity. I feel it's just turned a corner with veteran (but still young!) theatre artistes like Puja Sarup and Faezeh Jalali blossoming into directors of note.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
I follow Quasar Thakore Padamsee's column in The Asian Age, mainly because he is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the contemporary pan-Indian theatre scene.
If you have ever been a part of a theatre production/s, can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous?
GATES TO INDIA SONG was largely based on the power of channeling the immediacy of the text. To essentially bypass the mental faculty when encountering text and engaging with it physically. This insight has now become a technique I resort to if I ever find myself momentarily confounded, be it acting on stage or for the screen.
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
Th��tre de Complicit�'s A DISAPPEARING NUMBER, directed by Simon McBurney. Every trait of the medium of theatre is exploited to its hilt. The experience of watching it was tremendous.
Your favourite director/actor/music or set designer
Mohit Takalkar is potentially a truly visionary director. Jim Sarbh is a fantastic actor and director who will undoubtedly astound audiences throughout his career. Gagan Dev Riar is the most completely natural actor around and you can't take your eyes off him.
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed
Many years ago I saw a show of Ratan Thiyam's NINE HILLS ONE VALLEY. His mastery of the medium deserves far greater impact on the fraternity than it has had thus far.
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?
No great gastronomic experiences at theatre venues. Sorry! But it's a sheer pleasure is to treat ourselves to the local cuisine of a region we've travelled to perform.