A 123-year-old Russian play will come to life through characters inspired by the lesser known slums in the buzzing suburb
The cast visits the slums in Versova
Versova reminds this writer of the whiff of dried fish lingering on its beaches, hazelnut cappuccinos brewing in boutique cafés that open, shut shop, and reopen every other month, and the uncanny feeling that you’ve surely seen the guy who just walked past you in a movie before. For theatremaker Pankaj Purohit, it is none of these. A visit to the slums near the rock beach in the suburb brought back memories of an unexpected figure — Russian socialist writer and five-time Nobel Prize nominee, Maxim Gorky.
Pankaj Purohit
In 1902, Gorky wrote The Lower Depths, a peek into the harsh reality of residents at a shelter home on the banks of the Volga. “When I saw how life was in the slums in Versova, I was immediately reminded of Gorky, whom I had studied in drama school. I realised that his story from 1902 still rings true in 21st Century Mumbai,” Purohit shares. Hum Bhi Hain, the Hindi adaptation by Purohit’s See Theatre troupe, will take stage in a venue not too far from the settlements.
A moment from a performance of the original play at the Moscow Art Theater in 1902
Labelled ‘pessimistic’ by critics, Gorky’s original play is centred on the dilemma of choosing between a comfortable lie and the harsh truth through characters such as an actor struggling with alcoholism, a thief, and a landlord. They get a Bambaiyya makeover in the new play. The experiment nearly burnt a hole in his pockets, Purohit admits. “To study how a petty thief in Mumbai walks, talks and moves, we actually stepped into the narrow lanes of Nagpada, known for its skilled pickpockets,” he recalls with a hearty laugh.
Maxim Gorky. Pics Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
Compared to shooting a film in the slums of Mumbai — which might possibly win you an Academy Award, if you sell it well — adapting the slums to the stage is a mammoth task. The troupe has been gathering blue tarpaulin sheets and metal roof panels to recreate the compact homes that mark Mumbai’s slums. Complemented by live sounds recorded from Versova, the experience will be immersive, Purohit points out. The kicker? The story doesn’t have a happily ever after. “It will be an eye-opener for most Mumbaikars,” the director claims.
A previous staging of the play. Pic Courtesy/See Theatre
At a time when multiple slum redevelopment projects are mushrooming in the city, there couldn’t have been a better time to spotlight the people who make the neighbourhoods. “Localities like Dharavi have received their own share of limelight in the past, but there are many more that remain in the dark,” Purohit sighs.
While we suggest you head to the performance this weekend, you can always catch reruns, Purohit reminds us. The next time you are at Versova Beach, walk into the inconspicuous lane opposite Seven Bungalows Garden to witness the stories in action. Unless you’re happy living the comfortable lie, of course.
ON May 24; 7 pm
AT Chaubara by Veda Factory, Aram Nagar Part 2, Versova.
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