When a respected writer for the genteel, middle class Marathi audience such as Ashok Patole, resorts to not only writing an adult comedy but also producing, directing and acting in it, it's time to ask him what's happening. Also when the said play, EK CHAVAT SADHYAKAAL (A naughty evening) is declared for adult men only, it's time for a double take, and so a harried Deepa Ranade calls Patole.
Deepa Ranade (DR): After 21 shows, how has the exclusively adult men audience reacted to your sensational new play - EK CHAVAT SADHYAKAAL?
Ashok Patole (AP): We have had a wonderful response to the play thus far. In fact I was really happy that our last show was filled to half capacity. Special invitees like Sachin Pilgaonkar, Mahesh Kothare, Shivsena MP Bharat Kumar Raut and eminent theatre critics also enjoyed the play and suggested that there should be no problem in letting women in.
DR: What prompts a writer like you, who has written family dramas like AAI RETIRE HOTE and films like Chaukat Raja to opt for an adult comedy?
AP: I always believe in experimenting. AAI RETIRE HOTE was a different subject, and so was Chaukat Raja. The same goes with EK CHAVAT SADHYAKAAL. I try to dig into the different facets of human behavior.
DR: What is the inspiration behind this adult comedy?
AP: I was at a party and I noticed that a group of men started sharing 'non-veg' jokes and there was a loud response to this session, and everybody seemed to be enjoying it. Then I thought of similar jokes that we share heartily through SMS and emails. All of us enjoy these naughty things at various stages of life - as a teenager I enjoyed those Marathi parodies, then the jokes with innuendoes. That spontaneous response inspired this play. Such plays are enjoyed by English theatregoers. I thought why should the Marathi audience be deprived of some harmless, light-hearted fun and wrote EK CHAVAT SANDHYAKAAL.
DR: Is the play a series of non-veg jokes then?
AP: It is a story of a female PhD student being helped by two older men - Professor Talawade (played by me) and sexologist (Ajit Kelkar). Her thesis is titled- 'Sociological, psychological, and physical impact of naughty jokes and swear words'. We two men are on the stage; the woman is only on the phone. We avoided casting a woman in it since we didn't want to come across in our publicity as 'hot and sexy'; the play is just naughty. It's not vulgar, nor erotic. It has been passed by the Censor Board as an adult play.
DR: The 'only for adult men' categorization of the play came across as a very regressive and cheap gimmick. What is your defense?
AP: It certainly wasn't a gimmick! We were simply being respectful towards women. We thought they might find the content offensive and lead morchas against us. Unless men responded favourably to it, we did not want to allow women in. We have borne a loss of a couple of lakh of rupees owing to this decision. Which producer would do that?
DR: Nevertheless, irate women led morchas against you and you are now opening the play to them. It's turning out to be a blessing in disguise for you.
AP (Guffaws): Oh yes, the publicity is certainly working in our favour. I wonder if the protesting women know that. If they are so curious to watch the play, they are welcome. On August 30, at Shivaji Mandir, Dadar - we welcome women to the play. This will be our 26th show and we had planned to have 25 shows for men only. Anyway, the auspicious month of Shravan is also getting over, so now everyone can do chaavatpana (be naughty)!
DR: What new surprise are you planning to spring next?
AP: We want to do the play in Hindi and English now.
*Deepa Ranade is a film and theatre reviewer. She has been an entertainment journalist for over fifteen years.
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