Play review/ Hind

 

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Hind/ play in Hindustani 

Director: Feroz Abbas Khan 

Writer: August Wilson

Hindustani version: Vikas Bahari

Group: Platform Theatre Company 

Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Sonal Jha, Dadhi Pandey, N.K. Pant, Ankiit, Ravi Chahar

Rating; *** 1/2

It's 1957. Tabrez Ansari, who makes beedis at the local factory, is staying with his wife Razia and son Kaifi. The elder son Latif, from his first wife, visits often. So does his closest friend Banwari, with whom he can chat freely, with or without a drink for company.

Feroz Abbas Khan's new play Hind, inspired by August Wilson's 1985 play Fences, begins on a rather simple premise. Adapted and translated into Hindustani by Vikas Bahari, it slowly builds up momentum with a few developments. The play had a four-show run at the Prithvi Theatre Festival on November 16 and 17, and for those who missed it, it will return from December 10 to 14 at the same venue. The ads now name it Hind 1957.

Tabrez, played by Sachin Khedekar, is passionate about poetry but has stopped writing after he was jailed after being accused of instigating trouble, a case he's still fighting. His genes have been passed on to Latif (Ankiit), a budding shayar who is a huge fan of Sahir Ludhianvi. The younger Kaifi (Ravi Chahar) dreams of being a hockey player and joining the army. The father is against the ambitions of both sons, and Razia (Sonal Jha) finds herself in a difficult spot.

While that covers the basic storyline, it's heartening to see how after the lavish and big-budget Mughal-e-Azam and The Great Indian Musical: Civilisation To Nation, Feroz has got back into intimate theatre. Earlier this year, he directed the English play Letters Of Suresh, based on a narrative by American playwright George Joseph, about a young origami expert who writes letters to a Japanese priest after they meet in Nagasaki.

Both Letters Of Suresh and Hind delve around human relations or feelings. There is no hype or masala. But having tasted huge success with Tumhari Amrita, Feroz is fully aware of how to make the best use of a smaller cast.

To be sure, the build-up of Hind is slow, and for a while, one keeps wondering where things are headed. One does know there are differences between the father and his sons, but one isn't sure what will happen next. The introduction of Tabrez's brother Gulrez (NK Pant), who suffers from a time warp after being wounded in war, adds a slight diversion and gives an idea about what happened a decade ago. The dialogues include some wonderful poetry, written by Abhishek Shukla, and the interactions with his friend Banwari (Dadhi Pandey) give glimpses of Tabrez's past.

The story takes a completely different turn after the intermission, and this is where Razia faces a dilemma. How she deals with it forms an important part of the tale. This is where Sonal Jha's performance shines through. While one always knew Sachin Khedekar would live up to expectations, Sonal matches him every bit. She's simply outstanding in one scene when she welcomes her younger son back home. The other actors chip in with solid work.

The play is built around a massive single set with a period and north Indian look, showing a solitary house, a staircase leading up to a balcony and the domes of a mosque in the distance. A couple of mooda stools and a charpai are used for seating (see picture below). Piyush Kanojia's music is non-obtrusive and pleasant, often acting as a bridge between scenes.

Readers may be curious about the title. For a long time, that remains a mystery, but everything becomes clear before the ending. There's a strong message there, and that's what gives the play its takeaway moist-eyed moment.