"Our play will educate many Ritas in the audience", says Ajit Kelkar. After his mono-act, R K LAXMAN'S COMMON MAN, Professor Ajit Kelkar will now be seen in Willy Russell's play EDUCATING RITA - considered a modern classic - involving two actors. Admitting it to be a modern version of G B Shaw's PYGMALION, the actor -producer asserts that the play will be a pleasurable learning experience for the audience.  By Deepa Ranade Deepa Ranade (DR): After your successful mono acts: R K LAXMAN'S COMMON MAN and GADKARI TEY MATKARI, what inspired you to produce and stage EDUCATING RITA? Ajit Kelkar (AR): Honestly speaking, I was on the lookout for a mono-act after R K LAXMAN'S COMMON MAN. In today's times it is most difficult to manage a multi-cast play. But I happened to read Willy Russell's EDUCATING RITA and I found it very impressive. The play was also adapted as film starring Michael Cain and Julie Walters in 1983. Moreover, it has been staged very successfully by Satyadev Dubey and Neena Kulkarni almost 20 years ago. This modern-day version of PYGMALION appealed to me instantly and I decided to produce and act in it. DR: What is the most appealing aspect of the play? AK: The writing. Russell brings out the finer nuances of human nature in a humorous manner. It is a very beautifully crafted play. It is still running all over the world in several languages and it continues to move the audience. The relationship between the professor and his student has been etched out very intricately. The word play in the dialogue is also very entertaining. DR: What prompted you to cast a lesser known face like Pradnya Shastri as your co-star? AK: I acted with her in a Marathi farce titled, 'Pala Pala Kon Pudhey Palel Toh'. I found her to be a very fine actor. And do you know... she is a doctor - a dermatologist? She just fitted the bill and when I offered her the role, she agreed to play the part most enthusiastically. DR: How did you manage to rope in the award-winning director, Pratima Kulkarni for the play? AK: Pratima has been a dear friend over four decades now. We had planned to work together before this but somehow things didn't come together. But this time when I asked her if she had the time for my play, she assured me that she would make the time. Things just fell in place and here we are all set to launch EDUCATING RITA. DR: What is the challenging aspect about this role for you? AK: I play Professor Frank who is an intelligent but frustrated professor. He's faced with personal and professional crisis as his poetry isn't working and neither is his marriage. He takes to alcohol and he's generally going downhill when Rita enters his life as a fresh breath of air. She is an eager beaver who wants to learn everything. Starting off reluctantly as her tutor, soon Frank starts enjoying the tutoring. It is a beautiful character graph. DR: Is it a physically challenging role for you in any way? AK: For someone who is used to being on the stage for almost three hours by himself, this play was by no means as demanding. Moreover, I find being on stage so pleasurable that it always makes me forget all the aches and pains. DR: As an actor who is used to being alone on stage, how has it been sharing the stage with Pradnya Shastri? AK: I keep acting in multi-starrer plays in Marathi. I recently did LEKURE UDAND ZAALI. So it is only in my English home productions that I have the pleasure of having the stage to myself. But no, I didn't mind having a co-star. I certainly enjoyed it. DR: Being a college professor yourself, do you find yourself in a similar situation in real life - where the student - teacher relationship takes an intriguing turn? AK: (Guffaws) Indeed it is a very romantic idea! But things don't happen like that in real life. I have had some bright students and have shared a great rapport with them but beyond that ... nothing really. DR: What can the audience expect from this play? AK: It is a very well-written play and the professor is taking English literature classes, so our play will educate many Ritas in the audience. It will also be a great treat for the people who love the quirks of English language. The humour is most enjoyable. DR: You always act and produce your plays. Isn't that a risky business? AK: I have never gone asking for roles, whenever I felt strongly about a subject - I have gone ahead and produced it myself. I have acted in over 30 TV commercials and several Marathi plays but it is very satisfying for me to produce my own plays. Of course no producer is blessed with a 100 % hit rate, but I have managed well so far. I have to work very hard on each of my productions but as they say, God helps those who help themselves! DR: Last but not the least, what is the secret behind your youthful spirit? AK: I guess being a Professor and keeping youthful company helps. But now I have retired. I take three rounds of Shivaji Park every day. I do some breathing exercises and most of all I just love theatre! *Deepa Ranade is a film and theatre reviewer. 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Thakkar Jameel Khan Anupama Jayaram Lilelette Dubey Avatar Gill Dharmendra Gohil Rajesh Puri Kumud Mishra Kumar Shahu Meenal Patel Mujeeb Khan Anant Mudra Utkarsh Mazumdar Shekhar Sen1 Manav Kaul Rati Agnihotri Smita Jaykar Uday Chandra Rahul Da Cunha Atul Kumar Manoj Joshi Jaimini Pathak Boman Irani Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal Naseerudin Shah Joy Fernandez Kamlesh Mota Dinesh Thakur    Discussion Board

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