GAA RE MAA play review , English play review

	Direction : Anahita Uberoi Writer : Adhir Bhat & Siddharth Kumar Cast : Bharati Achrekar, Suneeta Rao, Ruturaj Shinde, Danny Sura, Zayn Marie Khan, Aseem Hattangady
GAA RE MAA Play Review

Deepa Karmalkar	Host-A-Performance \| Schedule

GAA RE MAA Review

This is a drama centred on music, but it is as much about relationships between mothers and sons. The story by Ishitta Arun, and written by Adhir Bhat and Siddharth Kumar, has an emotionally charged plot underlying a generation gap.

Jaya Kelkar (Bharaty Achrekar), a fading classical music singer, is scornful of her son Prashant (Ruturaj Shinde) who is a DJ. She is always busy with her riyaaz while her son struggles to find his identity as a part time DJ rather than be a full time software engineer. Jaya's accompanist, Masterji (Aseem Hattangady) adds fuel to the fire raging between mother and son. The twist in the plot comes in the form of Anita Peters (Suneeta Rao), an Anglo Indian singer, who returns home with her drug addict son Dave (Danny Sura) from the UK in order to rehabilitate him.

Anita and her son come to live in the same building where the Kelkar mother-son duo resides. "DJ Paapi" aka Prashant Kelkar finds musical inspiration from various sounds, and one of these inspirations comes from Anita's singing. Prashant persuades the depressed Anita to break her shackles and resume her singing. He also motivates Dave to rap for him. Dave's life is complicated as is his relationship with his new found romantic interest, a single girl living by herself. The three youngsters collaborate to cut a single and they even find a patron to promote it.

But will DJ Paapi's orthodox mother be reconciled? Will Dave be able to overcome his troubled past? The story is layered with emotions, be it maternal instinct, aspirations and disappointments, and the struggle of a single girl's place in our society. The pace is slower in the first half of the play but post interval the proceedings perk up with charged performances from Suneeta Rao, Bharaty Achrekar and Ruturaj Shinde. Aseem Hattangady in the double role of the paan spewing Masterji and the overbearing boss of a baby food company who wants to give Prashant the big break, pulls off a coup with his effortless performance. Danny Sura as Dave mimics the Brit accent perfectly. Director Anahita Oberoi has managed the stage space and the undercurrent of emotions rather efficiently.

Suneeta Rao retains her glamour and stage presence, but she could have sung some more and so could have Bharaty Achrekar! The presence of such good singers is an endorsement for the play that can be further explored. All in all, this is a heartwarming family drama with some touching moments. The dialogue rings true and touches a chord. An enjoyable play with some inspired performances.

*Deepa Karmalkar is a film and theatre reviewer. She has been an entertainment journalist for over fifteen years.

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