Writer : Rajiv Joseph Direction : Yuvraj Surana Cast : Yuvraj Surana & Pratyush Tiwari
GUARDS AT THE TAJ BY YUVRAJ SURANA Review
GUARDS AT THE TAJ, written by Rajiv Joseph, is a haunting and visually striking two-actor play set in 17th-century Agra, just after the completion of the Taj Mahal. The story follows two imperial guards, Humayun and Babur, stationed on duty with strict orders to guard the monument and ensure that no one sees it before sunrise. What begins as strict obedience slowly turns into a darkly comic yet tragic exploration of friendship, power, and moral collapse. As curiosity and human emotion override duty, the guards confront the fragile boundary between loyalty and rebellion, revealing how even the most sacred structures demand a human cost.
Pratyush Tiwari as Babur brings a clumsy, slightly messy charm to the character while still holding onto his sense of duty. His performance balances humour with vulnerability, especially in moments where friendship and responsibility collide. Yuvraj Surana as Humayun embodies discipline and loyalty with quiet intensity. He remains deeply devoted to his emperor and often becomes the stabilising force in Babur’s emotional imbalance. As the narrative progresses, their contrasting worldviews come sharply into focus, one driven by human connection and love, the other by unwavering duty. Yet their friendship remains intact even as their beliefs begin to fracture.
The direction reflects a clear understanding of the script, ensuring smooth storytelling without confusion in movement or execution. The adaptation remains faithful to the original while successfully translating it into a Hindustani theatrical texture. The staging is minimal and restrained, allowing the performances to remain central. Physical comedy is used where required, while moments of action and tragedy are layered with care, giving the play a strong emotional rhythm. Costumes are appropriate to the period, and lighting effectively shapes mood shifts between humour, tension, and the unseen grandeur of the Taj Mahal.
Music and sound design remain subtle, supporting the narrative without overpowering it, allowing silence and tension to hold space. Lighting continues to be a key strength, enhancing emotional transitions and atmosphere.
Overall, the production moves from light comedy into a sudden and unsettling confrontation with reality, leaving the audience questioning the idea of beauty itself, whether the Taj Mahal defines it, or whether beauty is a fixed standard that excludes everything else. The play creates a layered conflict between material grandeur and emotional truth. A must-watch for audiences who love to see a blend of comedy and tragedy in a single theatrical experience.
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.
GUARDS AT THE TAJ BY YUVRAJ SURANA Play Schedule(s)
