Tumhari Amrita

My friend called me up last to last week and asked if I am game for a Hindi-Urdu play called Tumhari Amrita on Saturday. I just vaguely remembered that I had seen Shabana Azmi in an ad of this play in Bombay Times several times. And as I am a huge Shabana fan, I said yes without thinking twice. That week, as we all know, the time stopped in Mumbai and the play eventually got cancelled.

Anyway the play was staged this Saturday. I had almost lost the excitement to watch the play but had to go as someone had already got the tickets and stuff.

When we entered St Andrew’s auditorium, my curiosity and excitement levels were constantly on an upswing. I spotted the the stage which had two chairs and their respective tables adjacent to each other with a bunch of papers on each table. There were spotlights above each table. Absolutely no other prop. The director (Feroze Khan) came on stage along with a resplendent Shabana Azmi and a poised Farooque Sheikh and paid one minute tribute to all those who lost their lives during the recent Mumbai attacks. I found a brochure on my seat which described the play as "A poignant love story told through letters spanning a period of thirty five years. This lyrical journey in time and space, chronicles the lives of two very different people, who cannot live with or without each other."

After a few minutes the actors appeared on stage again, this time as Zulfi and Amrita.

Then began a journey, a beautiful, emotional and an involved journey. Though I wouldn't take you into the story of the play (which obviously means that it’s a highly recommended play), I just want to mention some really beautiful characteristics of the play.

The play is an adaptation of an English pay called Love Letters (A R Gurney). It was first staged on February 6, 1992. There is just one setting in the play and two acts.

The entire play consists of these two characters reading out letters which they have written for each other. The story navigates 35 years of the two characters’ lives. The most beautiful part of the play is the words. It is an extremely beautifully written play (by Javed Siddique). The lines were beautifully woven like chime to the air. Both Shabana Azmi and Farooq Sheikh were just superb in the play. The modulation in Shabana's voice as she grows from an innocent young kid to a playful, bold teenage girl to a creative and highly emotional woman is just mind blowing. The play had me engrossed in each moment. I was overwhelmed when I came out of the theatre and was extremely touched by Amrita's predicament.

So those who haven’t seen it, go catch the play when you can . I am looking forward to watch Aapki Sonia which takes forward the story of Tumhari Amrita with exchange of letters between Amrita’s daughter (played by Sonlai Bendre) and Zulfi.