EK DON ADHICH play review

EK DON ADHICH was originally a one act play which won the viewer's choice award at Mrugajal Marathi Inter-collegiate competition. It was then extended to an hour and ten minutes for the screening at Thespo. The play is about a co- incidental interaction between two strangers at Koparkhairane Station after both have missed the last train. It begins with a young man in his mid-twenties, attempting suicide at the platform. He believes that dying under a train is the most certain and painless method of suicide. While he is forced to wait at the platform for the next train, a middle-aged blind man enters the platform. He is a regular traveler and is so accustomed to the platform that he walks without a stick.

The interaction between the two starts rather shakily as the young man is reluctant to open up to the blind man. He is obsessed with his fears and frustrations and struggles to look beyond them. The blind man senses his agony and breaks into a conversation with him. Though initially reluctant, the suicidal boy gradually begins opening up and reveals his reasons for attempting suicide. He has been the victim of a scam where an investment plan which could have doubled his money turned out to be a con. There after the blind man indirectly plays on the boy's psyche and convinces that everything that happens is related to each other. They argue, fight, share food and opinions and a certain bond gets formed.

Originally being a one act, the extended version seems a bit contrived. The playwright adopts a form where two characters are forcefully put in a situation to discuss a certain issue. Their existence is merely based on this particular event and as people they fail to have a deeper or more significant impact. It is difficult to relate to the characters and consequently be convinced by their theories. The 'theory of relativity' is discussed at length as the blind man firmly believes that there are no co-incidences. By the end he successfully proves this and dissuades the other from committing suicide. The plot does justice to the world it creates by justifying every event logically leading up to the dramatic climax. However, it is predictable and has been repeatedly used in inter-collegiate Theatre.

The play is presented with complete conviction and confident performances. Designed for a proscenium it has a bench placed in the centre of an an elevated platform with a railway track downstage, a signal to stage left and a loud speaker to the stage right. Sunil Tambat(young man) could have played his character with greater depth. Ninad Limaye's portrayal of a blind man is a bit caricaturist but nuanced and fluent.

The play had a cheerful response at Thespo 13 and won the award for the best original script. It is a genuine effort which might have worked better with a new and unconventional approach in its treatment rather than the tried and tested.

*Sudeep Modak is a young theatre person with interests in other media. He has worked with Ramu Ramanathan, Chandan Roy Sanyal and has done production work for THE PROPHET by Naseeruddin Shah's theatre group Motley, amongst other things. He is currently acting in Suyog's revived production of SAKKHE SHEJARI, written and directed by Sai Paranjpe.