As Pu La Deshpande returns to his home in Vile Parle, his fans turn out in hordes to express their undying love for his rhyme, rhythm and his inimitable world of pun. The 'Housefull' board went up long before the VARYAVARCHI VARAAT team could reach the venue at Dinanath Mangeshkar in Vile Parle from their previous show at Dadar's Shivaji Mandir. Producer Anant Panshikar couldn't hold back a smile of pride. Amidst an atmosphere filled with electric anticipation, fans reminisced about the original version in which their beloved Pu La essayed the central role and Shrikant Moghe played the rustic-turned-slicker and in which Ashalata Wabgaonkar had played Pu La's wife.
The resurrected version of the original had to measure up to lofty expectations indeed! But as the actors took centre stage, the audience was transported to another world altogether - of playful, tongue-in-cheek humour and situational comedy -Pu La was back with his rib-ticklers that transcended time and space. Smiles broadened, laughter welled up and there was a gust of guffaws as this autobiographical satire unfolded - from being talked into delivering a lecture by a small town 'snuff' salesman to being run down as the chief guest at a gathering where the local politicians are given all the attention to re-visiting his village where urbanization is already wrecking havoc. It is a poignant statement in Pu La's signature style when a rustic-turned- slicker aping Bollywood stars tells authentic lavni-seeking Pu La that he would find it in Mumbai! The breezy comedy, as the title proclaims, rolls out effortlessly.
The second act of the play depicts a lazy Sunday morning that Pu La spends at his Mumbai chawl practicing the harmonium in the company of his neighbours who are amateur musicians. These are husbands playing truant from their Sunday duties of grocery shopping and other work. The music troupe is interrupted by the incessant and unwanted phone calls that the domestic servan refuses to answer, by the laundryman who is known for pilfering clothes, and by their irate wives. The humour is simple, infectious and most importantly - spontaneous.
Add to that some sterling performances by experienced actors like Pradeep Patwardhan, Aitsha Naik and Nayana Apte and of singer performers - Amol Bawdekar and Vighnesh Joshi. The cast is charming - including an overwhelming guest appearance by Shrikant Moghe. He enacts the role of a rustic school teacher to perfection. Stock characters like the overbearing Kannada wife played convincingly by Atisha Naik and the flippant socialite enacted by Nayana Apte add zing to the proceedings.
The sets and lighting are simple and complement the narrative. The look of the characters from the sixties has been effectively worked out by the costume designer. Shrikant Moghe's direction of the play retains the flavour and the spice of the original, thus treating old and new audience alike to a heady dose of vintage Pu La.
*Deepa Ranade is a film and theatre reviewer. She has been an entertainment journalist for over fifteen years.
