In the limelight
MUSARRAT WARSI
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An eight-year-old donning 13 roles in one play?
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In the act: Adit
Eleven-year-old Adit was the cynosure of all eyes as Kalidas Theatre Association staged its two plays at Shri Ram Centre — “Apna Apna Bhagya” and “Leela Nandlal Ki” this past week. While in the former, based on a Kazakhstan folk tale, the young Adit Shrivastava performed the role of two characters — doctor and sepoy, in the latter, he played not just one or two but 13 roles.
The comedy “Leela Nandlal Ki” penned by Bhishm Sahni and directed by A. N. Shrivastava is a comment on corruption and the slow pace of our judicial system.
The theme
The play revolves around a man called Sahney who loses his scooter. Held responsible by his family members for the loss, Sahney begins the search for the scooter and also for insurance files.
Adit enacted the roles of the lead character Sahney, his wife, father, mother, uncle, Nandlal, police officer, lawyer, public prosecutor, munshi, thief and a few others.
For the group song and dance performance “Ye leela nandlal ki hai badi kamal” performance that kicked off the play, Adit donned a vagabond look with silk handkerchief around his neck and black shades looking very much at ease like a pro.
Born to a theatre professional — A. N. Shrivastav is his father, Adit grew up developing a natural affiliation for the discipline. At the age of three, he played the role of a sepoy in the play “Andher Nagri”. Spotting his talent, his father A. N. Shrivastava encouraged him as well.
This Std. VI student of St. Mary Convent School says, “For this play, I had to work hard. I held the script whole day in my hands and learned,” said Adit.
The play has been performed twice in Ghaziabad and once in Allahabad. Adit has also acted in “Kullu Kumar Swarg Mai” “Panchlighrt”, “Saiyyan Bhaye Kotwal”, “Ghade Ki Barat”, and “Bakri”.
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