The significance of social media is reflected in the Marathi play, Friend Request, which serves as the backdrop to depict how four people’s lives are affectedby a friend request on Facebook. Written by Prasad Dani and directed by Kumar Sohoni, the 140-minute production has Marathi actor Ajay Purkar playing the role of Madhav Sahasrabudhe, a quadragenarian and the CEO of a company. A loner with two friends (played by Ashish Pawar and Atul Mahajan), Madhav has been divorced for 15 years and yearns to meet his daughter. “Madhav’s life changes when a woman (Priyanka Tendolkar) barges into his house one night and insists on staying with him,” says Ajay.
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Surprises in store
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: special arrangement
The emotionally-charged second act of Friend Request is filled with surprises, as characters reveal their true selves and their perspectives on the unfolding events. This play, which appeals to all generations, focuses on the challenges of interpersonal relationships. “Of late, we see a steep rise in divorce rates and relationships getting torn apart due to complex situations in our lives. We explore the impact of divorce on children without passing any judgment and how the characters come to terms with complex situations in their lives.”
Since its debut staging on January 25 this year in Mumbai, the play has had 23 shows till now including Nasik, Ahmedabad and Pune.
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To draw interest
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Though the title, Friend Request, was chosen to attract the younger generation, that does not mean the name has no relevance. “Social media is the story’s backdrop where one deals with ‘to friend or not to friend’ every day. We get such requests not only from relatives and acquaintances but also from absolute strangers.”
Negative lead
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Ajay has acted in 15 commercial plays till now, but this is his first as a producer. He is happy to come to Hyderabad for the positive response to his negative role Rayudu, in his debut Telugu film Skanda. “ I am disciplined and like to work on time with precision. I got the same work atmosphere while shooting, making it a cherished experience,” he says adding, “Since Hyderabad has a sizeable Marathi population, it would be wonderful to showcase the play here.”
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Gearing up to stage Friend Request in Mumbai after Hyderabad, Ajay hopes the play crosses the 500 performance mark in two years.
Friend Request to be staged on April 13 at Ravindra Bharathi from 6.30pm onwards. Tickets ₹200, ₹400, ₹600, ₹800, ₹1000 and ₹1200 available on bookmyshow.com