Mahadevbhai

I love theater but I still have only managed to see a handful of plays (about 15-20) in my 5 year stay in Bombay. Its a pity really. But whenever I do watch a play it never ceases to amaze me. On one such occasion, which was actually the recently concluded Prithvi Theatre carnival, I saw this 20 minute short called “Aaj Ki Baaki Baat” which is directed and enacted by Jaimini Pathak. He serenaded the jam-packed Prithvi auditorium with his narration and enactment of the ageing Bengali Poet. It was an extremely well-written play but according to me, the performance was what over-shadowed or rather gobbled everything else. Pathak was immaculate in his performance, speech (which was extremely poetic) and expressions. I was, like many others in the audi, simply mesmerized. Fortunately, I bumped into him outside when I asked him for a cigarette lighter and found the perfect moment to praise him for his superb act!

Last night, I had another fortunate opportunity to see a great play and a great, extremely great, performance by him for the very famous play 'Mahadevbhai' written and directed by Ramu Ramanathan. I had heard extremely good things about the play which has already had about 200 shows and my expectations were way too high, both from the play and the performer. The play is about Mahatma Gandhi's confidante, friend and assistant Mahadev-bhai. First and foremost, it taught illiterate people like me, so many things about a person who always remained a shadow to the “father of the nation” and happily so. It brings forth his accomplishments, his talent and his complete devotion to Gandhi. This is obviously interspersed with India's struggle for independence. So we are tickled with the memories of those boring history classes when we first learnt about Quit India, Dandi March, Non Violence etc. This time they are all woven into Mahdevbhai's story and what an effect that has. It is one of the most well written play I have seen. Especially loved the ending where Pathak talks about what Mahadevbhai would have written in his diary after he died. It was extremely beautiful.

Now a special word for the performer. The presentation of the play is similar to the short that I mentioned earlier. Pathak is the narrator and also enacts the role of almost 20 other characters of the play. Spectacular, isn't it. Not for a second, he falters. It was simply a delight to watch him. At one moment, it was so uncanny, someone's mobile phone rang in the theater (Yes, people in India still don't have play watching manners) and he just came to the mike and said “shaant shaant shaant” and it was actually a part of the speech that he was giving while enacting one of his many roles. I don't know how the two things happen together. It was interesting! So, he was an endearing narrator, often evoking responses from the audience and an actor with a myriad of characters bundled into him for the duration of a little more than two hours. Simply fabulous.

BTW, just got to hear that the play had received “scathing” reviews when it was launched from some stalwarts including Mr Vijay Tendulkar. I was quite surprised to hear that. However, even that's interesting. I don't know, sometimes, some really iconic stuff also evokes mixed reactions from critics, which is absolutely fair as all forms of art, is subjective.

Well, I am, OBVIOUSLY, no critic. Just a humble viewer. And I think Mahadevbhai (and Jaimini Pathak) is an absolute must-watch.