Deal for Dattani
The set for the play, that of an upper class living room was so beautifully done that it felt like I am peeping int o an actual living room. The performance began on a high note with thunderstorms and shadows (apt setting for a thriller). As minutes pass, we see layers of suspense unfold and come to know that both characters have a connected past. The writing was good, but sadly the performances by the two actors could not light it up. Bharat’s looks fitted the character but he seemed under rehearsed. He was performing as if it was a mere play reading. Manjari was well rehearsed, but the character in totality looked unnatural and overacted. The technicalities (set, lights, musics) were balanced and saved the ‘deal’ for Dattani.
Priyank Khare
Room for improvement
The Mahesh Dattani-directed play Double Deal Reloaded , fell short of my high expectations. The act appeared under rehearsed by the cast — Bharat Dabholker and Manjari Fadnnis. Somehow it failed to make an impact the way it was hyped as ‘nail- biting’. The 90-minute play got over in about an hour. There is a lot of room for improvement. Didn’t work for me.
R Meenu
A perfect act
This play stayed true to its description of a psychological thriller. What started off rather slowly with just two characters on the set with long dialogues, gradually picked up tempo and brilliantly crescendoed in a thrilling end.
The two-member cast stole the show with their performing skills and never, even for a moment, lost character. Time just flew past in a jiffy, as the script, the lights and music engulfed our minds. It’s simply amazing how the entire team worked together to pull off a perfect act. Double Deal Reloaded , was a great closing show for THTF 2018!
N Priyanka
Well-knit script
Mahesh Dattani’s direction means perfection and that was at the play. The acting of Bharat Dabholkar and Manjari Fadnnis kept the audience on the track. Thriller with the twists that were not not over dosedkept the audience gripped. The script was well knitted. It had perfection of direction, script and acting.
Suhas Bhatnagar
Lacked depth
Supposedly an action-packed psycho thriller backed by a big star cast of 90- minutes duration, the play fell slightly short by 15 minutes and also our expectations.
The storyline was complicated and appeared far-fetched. Music sounded a little out of context. Bharath Dabholker though intimidating in appearance as a ‘wronged’ criminal, failed to convince otherwise. The saving grace was his lady ‘would have been partner’ in crime. Manjari Fadnnis as the two-timing lady interest was outstanding and vivacious. I would like to sum it up as a star-studded blockbuster play lacking depth and emotion.
Dr VSC Sekhar
Intriguing content
Just two seasoned artists, simple yet stunning stage, befitting background score, gripping story line with never ending twists punches — what more you need for the concluding day of The Hindu Theatre Fest — felt like an interesting interval between the 10th and 11th chapters at Hyderabad. Plot moves to unexpected quarters every now and then, without a single stale moment on the stage. Superb performance, intriguing content highlight the spirit of the story.
P V Krishna Rao
Survival of the fittest
Double Deal Reloaded held the audience mesmerised by the sheer simplicity of the theme of love, betrayal and murder merging into another favourite modern crime theme of bank robbery, getting cheated and seeking revenge. The road to climax through the suspense-laden scene between two strangers in a room, was fully loaded with thrill and suspense which deepened with the gradual opening of the layers of the past connections.
Dr JAYA RASHMI SAHAY
Fascinating thriller
Greed, betrayal, deceit and common human failings that are timeless. Add a dash of revenge as motivation and the cocktail becomes potentially explosive. In Mahesh Dattani’s Double Deal Reloaded , the two characters try to outwit each other relentlessly in a high stake, winner-takes-all game. The setting is quintessentially Mumbai where talk of murder and blood money seems commonplace. Watching the darker sides of the protagonists laid bare, layer by layer, is something of a novelty. Bharat Dabholkar and Manjari Fadnnis are brilliant and the twists in the plot keep the audience engaged throughout The spine-chilling surprises will stay with you for long as does the twist in this tale.
Rajshekhar Roy
Weak plot
Double Deal Reloaded was an unfortunately disappointing production. What promised to be an exciting thriller fell flat with a weak plot, and what can only be described as baffling twists and incongruent decision making by the characters.
The sound design was poor and failed to carry the note of suspense. Combined with the over-the-top performances, it simply came off as comical at points.
The acting skills of Manjari Fadnnis felt like the only saving grace of the whole affair.
Divya Veluguri
