Nandita Das presents her play Between The Lines to Bangalore today. This is the first time that Nandita has written and directed a play. “This is a new journey for me that has been both exciting and challenging,” says Nandita Das, over phone.
About the plot of Between The Lines , Nandita says: “Maya and Shekhar have been married for 10 years. Shekhar is a high-profile criminal lawyer, while Maya balances work and life, drafting routine contracts for a law firm.”
Subtle inequalities
On a deeper level, “the play depicts inequalities that occur in subtler, deceptive forms that have been shoved under the carpet.” Nandita further says that “Maya is a working woman who has one foot in modernity and the other in tradition. The couple seem happy. They have had their share of differences and arguments, but when they accidentally end up fighting against each other in court it starts to impact their relationship at home.”
Nandita and her husband, Subodh Maskara play the two central characters. A little bit from their lives is reflected in this play. “Much of Subodh’s and my life are in this play. During the process, it did throw new challenges in our relationship that weren’t explored before.”
Nandita says that “it is not a heavy or preachy play. While it entertains you with its wit, it also ruffles many feathers. There is a lot of uncomfortable laughter when people see themselves in Maya and Shekhar. Lots of couples have told me that this is their story.”
Did writing the play require research, observation, or did Nandita have to go deep within to express complex emotions? “The process came out very organically. As I was juggling with many different roles, writing about the dilemmas of a working woman was very instinctive. It also has stories of other couples whom I have subconsciously observed.”
Between The Lines will be staged at MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield, today at 7.30 p.m. Tickets priced Rs. 3000, 2000, 1500, 1000 and 600 are available on www.indianstage.in
