BACCHON KI KAHANI SIRF BADON KE LIYE Play Review

Shashank Rahul Jadhav	Host-A-Performance \| Schedule

Written and Directed : Kshitij Sharma Cast : Kshitij Sharma

BACCHON KI KAHANI SIRF BADON KE LIYE Review

BACCHON KI KAHANI SIRF BADON KE LIYE is an intimate and disturbing theatrical journey through childhood, innocence, curiosity and shame. Written, directed and performed by Kshitij Sharma, the play follows Aayush and his friend as their innocent curiosity during adolescence leads them towards an experience that gradually alters their understanding of the world. What begins almost like a childhood game or discovery eventually brings them face to face with people who exploit their innocence and guilt. The play explores the lasting emotional impact of such an experience without attempting to justify, explain or resolve it.

The writing takes the form of an inner monologue and often resembles a stream of consciousness. It feels like a journey through a childhood composed of a series of unfortunate events that eventually shape the adult narrator. What makes the writing particularly effective is its ability to retain the perspective of childhood while allowing the adult understanding of those memories to emerge gradually. Incidents that may have appeared confusing, strange or insignificant to a child acquire a much heavier meaning when revisited through adult eyes. The transformation of innocence into shame becomes the emotional centre of the narrative.

Kshitij Sharma deserves credit for having the courage to articulate experiences that remain largely unspoken and taboo. At the same time, the performance maintains a remarkable sense of restraint and never crosses into vulgarity. The subject could easily have been treated with sensationalism, but the intent remains rooted in understanding the emotional world of the child. Several disturbing images are brought to the surface with the rawness of an old injury whose dried skin has been left intact. The play does not try to find easy meaning in these experiences or offer a convenient form of closure. Instead, it holds them up like a mirror to life.

Kshitij also performs every character in the story, shifting convincingly between voices and personalities within the monologue. The simplicity of the performance works in its favour, allowing the writing to remain at the forefront. The lighting is thoughtfully designed to complement the changing emotional landscape, while the near absence of music keeps the focus on the spoken word. The few nostalgic musical pieces that do appear effectively evoke the world of the 1990s and provide moments of warmth before the narrative moves into more uncomfortable territory.

The play can be difficult to sit through, and that discomfort may vary considerably from one viewer to another. A small shift in tone, movement or language could easily have pushed such material towards the absurd or the voyeuristic. Here, however, the control largely keeps it grounded. BACCHON KI KAHANI SIRF BADON KE LIYE asks its audience to temporarily put aside the judgement of adulthood and attempt to understand the heart and mind of a child before interpreting the events through an adult lens. It is an unsettling journey through childhood, drawing its strength from the contrast between a child's innocence and the disturbing experiences they face.

Shashank Jadhav is a theatre practitioner, actor, writer, and director. He is the founder of Occipital Productions, under which he develops work across theatre and films.

BACCHON KI KAHANI SIRF BADON KE LIYE Play Schedule(s)

4:30 PM, Sun, October 18

Rangbhoomi Spaces , Hyderabad (map link)

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