Think Farooque Shaikh in Chashme Baddoor or Naseeruddin Shah in Sparsh or even Shabana Azmi in Saaz — if these characters still remind you of the golden age of the Hindi film industry, then you have Sai Paranjpye to thank for. A name that endeared Hindi cinema in an age when it wasn’t christened “Bollywood” yet, Paranjpye’s golden contribution is still touted as one of the best the industry has ever seen. And now, this eminent director and playwright is ready to tug at our heartstrings yet again, with a fresh new offering titled Aalbel, that premieres on December 24 at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai.
However, Paranjpye doesn’t want to term this as a “comeback”. Some of her plays which she had written quite a few years ago, like Satyashree and Jaswandi, have been running to packed houses till date. “Aalbel is a new play which I’ve conceptualised, written and directed after a long hiatus,” she says with an underlying tone of excitement. “I wrote this four months ago and jumped into production after I finished writing it. This play has been completely different from the stories I usually work on. There are certain aspects I’ve experimented with and I’m excited about it,” says Paranjpye. Aalbel revolves around three men, charged with murder and end up confined to a single cell, engulfed in an atmosphere of general distrust. “What makes the plot exciting is that the three men, who come from different backgrounds, share their experience in a jail and hold onto each other through their experiences, stories and traumas. They realise that a common thread binds them together and they strike a unique fellowship. It leads on to a journey of finding a common ground through sharing their experiences with each other,” says Paranjpye.
The cast of the three protagonists is an interesting mix of talent. Bappa, a man heading a school of tribal girls is doing time for killing the man attempting to rape his blind daughter. The role is being essayed by singer-actor, Shrikant Dadarkar. The second inmate Sada, who has murdered his wife’s lover, is played by the current favourite of Marathi stage and films, Umesh Jagtap, a seasoned actor from experimental theatre. Bhairav Bhuiphod, the third convict, is a supari or contract killer with 17 murders in his name, being played by stage and film star Milind Shinde. Paranjpye says that she was extremely impressed with the cast and their sensibilities on stage. “Milind and I knew each other since our National School of Drama (NSD) days. Bhairav suited the role perfectly and he was fantastic. I chanced upon Umesh through my theatre colleagues and he too fit the bill. So, yes, I can safely say that the casting has been providential,” says Paranjpye, adding, “There will also be some elements of music and dance in the play.”
Deepa Gehlot, head, programming, theatre says that the play shows another side of Paranjpye. “Humour is the underlying tone in all her plays. All her characters are real and easy to relate to. The way she perceives people is fabulous and Aalbel just proves that,” says Gehlot.