‘Ek Actor Ki Maut’ to be staged on March 24 in Bengaluru

Director Zafer Mohiuddin says the play is a conversation between the medium of theatre, film and television

Kavita Agarwal and Zafer Mohiuddin in stills from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Kathputliyan Theatre Group (KTG) will stage, Ek Actor Ki Maut. Directed by theatre actor, director, playwright Zafer Mohiuddin, the play is originally written by Croatian writer, Miro Gavran and adapted to Hindi by Saurabh Srivastava.

“It is about two actors, Akshay and Ira, who develop a bond while rehearsing for a charity show,” says Zafer in his baritone, from Alliance Francaise. “Akshay is a struggling actor, while Ira is established with a successful career spanning 40 years. Akshay invites Ira to act in a play, and Ira reluctantly agrees. The play explores Ira’s love for theatre, and the emotions the two actors go through as they share aspects of their lives.”

Zafer plays Akshay while Kavita Agarwal plays Ira. “The play is also a conversation between the medium of theatre, film and television. And how many use theatre as a stepping stone for film. For instance, though NSD was started to propagate theatre, actors train there to seek a career in films. Ira is also guilty of the same while Akshay, however, believes in theatre.”

The play, says Zafer, posits the theory that an actor dies when he exits the stage.

Zafer started off as an architect, but discovered his passion for theatre and became a playwright. Though he has done voice overs, advertisements and films, Zafer has stayed deeply rooted in theatre since 1979, when he founded Kathputaliyaan Theatre Group

Ek Actor Ki Maut Zafer says is a serious play. “I travelled to Delhi recently and a visit to NSD is a must with every trip. This time, while I was there, I bought 20 plays and one book was this. The subject hit me so hard that I immediately contacted the playwright, sought his permission and we started working on this play.”

The theme engulfed Zafer. “It is an intense play with no form of stylisation, and a lot of dialogue. It is a serious discussion between two senior actors with long, meaningful, powerful silences that are crucial to the play.”  

Zafer says the play was staged for an intimate audience and this is their first public show. Kavita has been with Kathputliyan for the past three years and has also worked with other theatre groups.

The play will be staged on March 24, 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Jagriti, Whitefield. Tickets on BookMyShow.