As it makes a return to Mumbai’s stage, Vasant Kanetkar’s iconic play, Himalayachi Savali, retains the relevance as it tells the story of the woman behind the scenes
Actors rehearse a scene on stage. PICs COURTESY/Rajesh Deshpande
Any millennial or Gen X Mumbaikar would be familiar with the ritual of watching a play on the Diwali weekend. The ritual may have faded out in the post-pandemic world, and the rise of virtual reality, but in many Maharashtrian households, theatre remains a part of the Diwali tradition. “It [theatre] is an integral part of the cultural tradition of the state. The stage draws the Marathi audience to it,” says director Rajesh Deshpande. This year, Deshpande is bringing back to the Mumbai stage Vasant Kanetkar’s iconic play, Himalayachi Savali, in a festival run.
The play is the second run for the director, who first revived it in 2019. “Before that, the play had its last run in 1972. Dr Shriram Lagoo played the lead role of Nanasaheb, and it also marked the first stage performance for Ashok Saraf,” he recalls. It was not till 2019 that Deshpande was approached for a revival. “I had not watched the play, but I had read it. And it is a treat to read,” he admits. The restart with actors Sharad Ponkshe and Shruja Prabhudesai in the lead ran for a 45-show run, before the pandemic hit.
Vasant Kanetkar. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
The recent run, which opened in Pune on October 19, also marks the third Marathi classic to find its way back to the stage in recent months. After Sanjay Mishra’s take on Ghashiram Kotwal, and Sayaji Shinde’s return as Sakharam Binder, this Kanetkar adaptation feels like a throwback. The plays are not mass entertainers, or star vehicles though. So, what draws the audience, we ask. “I would attribute it to two things. There is a need for nostalgia. People are drawn to the way the language is used in its classical form,” Deshpande observes.
Written in 1972 by Kanetkar, the play has a distinct city connect. It was inspired by the life and times of social reformer Maharishi Dhondo Keshav Karve. “It tells the story of a man whose life is dedicated to a cause, but is told through the perspective of his wife, Bayo. That is the heart of it. She holds it all together for a man who is capable of greatness and flaws,” the director shares. Played by Prabhudesai, the character is a reminder of the unspoken leadership that women display in families. “The references may have changed, but the story remains. Even in urban cities across India, women quietly hold the reins, but are never noticed,” he says, pointing to examples of women stepping up in times of difficulty, corporate management, or even emergencies in a neighbourhood. It is here that Kanetkar gives Bayo the voice to emerge as an equal, the second centre of leadership, he says.
Sharad Ponkshe (left) and Shruja Prabhudesai during the rehearsal
If it feels like a throwback to conservative middle-class ideals, Deshpande says it is not entirely so. “For true theatregoers, the play is a masterpiece in crafting. The way Kanetkar hits the beat of every characters’ arc, is a masterclass in writing. You cannot keep an audience invested for three hours unless you do that,” he laughs. Diwali is always a good time for such investments, they say.
TILL October 26
AT Prabodhankar Thackeray Theatre, Borivli; Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Auditorium, Thane; Tilak Smarak Mandir, Pune.
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