Dummies’ ‘Vishwaroopam’ rests on a sound premise. KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
Photo: R. Shivaji Rao
Platitudes from the word ‘go’: Vishwaroopam.
The corporate world apparently is the flavour of the season, whether in plays or cinema. ‘Vishwaroopam’ written by V. Sreevathson of the Dummies Drama is all about the fruits gained in the world of business and enterprise by consistently following one’s vision, age and background no bar. It is about attitudes and prejudices today in the corporate sector and how one can counter them and reach the top. ‘Vishwaroopam’ is a positive stroke for
age and experience when it is coupled with dynamism.
A middle class, middle aged man retrenched from his job has the determination and tenacity to set up his own enterprise. His twenty something daughter is his dynamic assistant, though his grown up son prefers to steer a safe course. The two manage to surmount quite a few hurdles. But does success extract a price?
A taut script and a sure directorial hand (R.Giridharan) ensures that the play makes its point in a forcible, interesting manner. Consequently, the audience’s attention too never wavers. It is a theme that has an appeal for today’s world; no mothballs here.
The young businesswoman who has ‘impatience’ written all over her and has no use for loyalty, and her indulgent father are stereotypes but the cell phone-addicted politician and the rule-bound bank official are caricatures.
The play sags a bit in the second half. This can be overlooked. But not the fact that the first half of the play is loaded with unnecessary English phrases and truisms, grammar often taking a toss. It is strewn with pompous words of wisdom.
Monopoly as always
Sreevathson as the middle aged executive played the main role, as usual and carried it off well. But he needs to work on his diction. Also there was too much bombast in the portrayal of his character. His arguments in the final portions when he tries to rebut the accusations of arrogance are specious. There is always a monopoly of the action by the writer-protagonist in all the productions put up by Dummies. The heroics too are overdone at times. The play rests on a sound premise. But one has seen plays before on an elderly hero succeeding beyond expectation when he persists in following his dream, staking his and others’ assets, and risking his daughter’s prospects of marriage.
Preethi’s strong performance belied her frail build. Another good performance came from Shridar as the protagonist’s father-in-law. Contrasting a gutsy, supportive daughter and a shrinking son was a good stroke in the plot.
Also well made was the point that courage and daring are not the prerogative of the young and caution and fear, the characteristics of the old. But one cannot subscribe to the puppet like portrayal of the executive’s wife, it was irksome and regressive. Lighting by Cheta Ravi was an asset to the play presented by the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha at the Sathguru Gnanananda Hall. The sets were just passable.
There is much that is simplistic and superficial about ‘Vishwaroopam’. More depth and less spouting of platitudes would make ‘Vishwaroopam’ a better play on corporate success. ‘Vishwaroopam’ won the Best Drama award in the recently conducted Kodai Nataka Vizha of the Kartik Fine Arts.
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