Writer : Stella Kon Direction : Quasr Thakore (Q) Cast : Jayati Bhatia
KHATIJABAI OF KARMALI TERRACE Review
KHATIJABAI OF KARMALI TERRACE is the story of Nothingness in one too many ways. It is a joyful, and yet a poignant tale of a woman's life; of relationships that rise and fall to nothingness. The emptiness of choices, desires and ambitions that take the shape of one lifetime of lost identities and aspirations. The story is representational and hangs from the complex threads of human behaviour that exist across cultures and societies, which is why Stella Kon's EMILY OF EMERALD HILL so wonderfully adapts into KHATIJABAI OF KARMALI TERRACE.
Stella, an award winning playwright and novelist is known to write stories that are prototypical of the Singaporean life, where she has lived since the age of three. EMILY OF EMERALD HILL is one of her widely acclaimed and enacted plays. Adapted to befit the Indian tapestry, director Quasar Thakore Padamsee adds nuances to it that are close to his own life. Set against the backdrop of Mumbai's Khoja community, the character of Khatijabai is inspired by Quasar's grandmother. True and pensive in nature, the play highlights the patriarchal nature of most Indian households that determine the myriad dimensions of a woman's life.
Abandoned by her mother, Khatija is an orphan who lives off the generosity of her relatives. At a young age of 14 her aunt decides to marry her off and Khatija makes her humble entry into the grand and intimidating Karmali household. Being the eldest daughter-in-law by heritance but the youngest in age, Khatija over the years grows from being a naive demure girl to the matriarch of the house. She is in command all the time, making decisions from the colour of the curtains to planning plush and lavish state dinners that hold a special place in the hearts of those who have graced them.
However she fails to arouse similar gratitude in her loved ones. Lost in the need for acceptance, Khatija soon forgets her own expectations from life. She begins to live a life that is hardly her own but which is tailored to befit the societal, cultural and androcentric demands of her household. The play in short is the eventful journey of Khatija's life from innocence to manipulation, from resignation to realization, from loneliness to an even greater loneliness.
The play is a one person narration and very often jumps time and characters. Jayati Bhatia with her gait, voice and an overall stunning performance invites the audience to live through the various stages of Khatija's life. Holding the audience interest for nearly 75 mins, the play however dips a little midway. Mainly because the content at this stage becomes repetitive and stagnated (the play is caught in a vortex of Khatija talking about arranging parties which never seems to end). There is a struggle to take the story forward even as the pace of narration is superlatively fast. It could very well be a figurative suggestion of the pace of Khatija's life and the nature of events that affect it.
Jayati brings to life Khatija's character with her quick and well calculated movements and weaves the drama of her disturbing relationship with her husband, son and other family members, never once making you miss the presence of another character on stage. However the most genuine, intriguing and heartfelt part of Jayati's performance was her guttural laugh that would spring up after every third sentence. It had a resonance that invariably stayed with you. However what was missed in her rendition of Khatija's character were the subtle mannerisms and characteristics peculiar to the community. Apart from the performance which was indeed gripping, the content was not particularly evocative. Similar woman centric stories belonging to the colonial and the post colonial era have made a stunning appearance in the past. A fresh insight, a new perspective would have made the play an experience to remember. The history and social message embedded in the play do some justice to it.
The stagecraft was immaculate and beautifully executed. Right from the set which was a cluster of old style furniture to the lights which did more than simply illuminate the actor's face. The set most definitely takes one back many years into an Appollo Bunder house. The rocking chair and the little telephone table become almost an extension of the character.
The light design by Arghya Lahiri was interesting and the dim effect brought out a strong sense of nostalgia to the play. But the flaring up of the bedside bubble each time Khatija called out to her husband was however a little annoying. It felt like a slightly gimmicky attempt to highlight a supernatural presence. Another very interesting aspect of the lighting was that it covered the light course of an entire day, beginning from one side of the actor and coming to rest on the other side towards the end. Simple costume and carefully applied make up added to the overall creation of the character. All in all a play worth watching for its performance and power to recreate an era and a culture.
*Akanksha Gupta has a Master's Degree in Theatre Arts from Mumbai University. She is currently working with an advertising agency and enjoys photography.
