Terrorism has many faces. The most tragic is of young boys misled to take up arms against the kafirs or non-believers. The subject of several books and studies, in the play Ji Saab Ji presented at the IHC by Lushin Dubey in collaboration with Old World Culture, terrorism bears a more human face as it meets secular forces.
The play is inspired by the real life relationship Lushin’s father shared with his attendant during his last days. Once the seeds were sown for a dramatic rendering of this extraordinary meeting between an old man and his Muslim attendant, Lushin got hold of Nicholas Kharkongar to write the script in English. This was then rendered in spoken Hindustani by Lushin’s mother in law, Savitri Dubey.
The action opens on the old man, played by the octogenarian Jasbir Malik, in conversation with his minder Aslam (Suvrat Joshi). They are watching a cricket match India is winning. The old man maintains that India will lose. The young Aslam is trying to humour the old man who insists that Aslam learn how to knot a tie. “What will I do with a tie,” he asks “My people will find it very odd.” To which the old man replies “So what! You must always dress like a fine gentleman.”
The idea of a benevolent old man in tandem with a sympathetic young boy is emotionally very appealing. And the writer and director play this aspect to the hilt. The twist in the tale is the Muslim boy, Farouk, adopted from an orphanage by the old man and his wife, the late Tina. The policeman (Daman) comes to Aslam again and again enquiring about the whereabouts of Farouk. His insistence that the old man be questioned meets with strong refusals from Aslam and his live-in niece played by Lushin Dubey. Dubey tries to have a philosophic discussion with the policeman; do you try and find out why a young man becomes a terrorist she asks? Do you ever try and speak to the young men before you torture to make them talk? The character played by Lushin is very vague. She wanders in and out of the set without making any impact. Except to act as mediator between the police and Aslam, she has little else to do. Her affection if any, for the old man, is not manifest. It was an unlikely role for the actress Lushin; The director in her did well with the script and other members of the cast.
In a sequence, Farouk walks in.
He joins Aslam who is saying his prayers. They have an argument in which Farouk confesses to being part of the jihadi terrorist group that set off the bombs in the city where the total of the dead has crossed 21. Farouk explains how he was very lonely wherever he had gone on leaving home.
He met a young Muslim boy who described how the kafirs slit his sister’s body and how they killed his mother. He then weaves a tale of horror against the state and the police force declaring anyone who has undergone police questioning is bound to become a terrorist. His stories and arguments are met with mute dismay by the old man who has just come out of hospital. Farouk tries to convince Aslam to join him. Aslam refuses. Just then the police whistle is heard. Aslam follows Farouk out of the house. Will he join him? Or will he be caught by the police?
The policeman enters looking for Aslam who runs away. He is soon caught and incarcerated. One fears the worst when he is released and returns to the house. Has the police torture had the same deleterious effect on him as described by Farouk.
When the niece turns up to greet him and he thanks her for her kindness to his father and briefly expresses his sorrow at not being with Saab ji, one breathes a sigh of relief.
Suvrat Joshi’s assured performance provides that crucial moment of dramatic uncertainty.
The old man has left him the gift of a jacket and tie. Aslam wears them with his skull cap.
The play is well conceived and delivered.
Though Jasbir (Bunny) Malik looks the part and was excellent in certain scenes, his memory failed him on occasions; the loud prompting was audible on opening night.
Daman established his credentials right away and sustained the role. Anirudh Nair was entirely there for his brief but stirring performance.

from kavita nagpal