Bhisham Sahni's genius as a scriptwriter is legendary. His stories are simple, yet profound. But it's only when one watches his “Leela Nandlal Ki” in performance that one marvels at his insight of seemingly ordinary lives and circumstances. “Leela Nandlal Ki”, directed by Munish Sharma, was staged last week at Ranga Shankara.
Though production values are important in theatre, a good director is one who designs props and manages the stage according to the requirements of the script. Munish Sharma does a fine job in keeping the sets minimal and the play of lights simple to ensure it doesn't detract from the powerful script and performance.
They say some things never change. On the surface our priorities may have evolved due to the rapid progress of technology, but certain aspects of everyday life remain unchanged. It is here that “Leela Nandlal Ki” strikes a chord. It's about an ordinary man who is confronted by unexpected circumstances. The play opens with his scooter being stolen which leads to a chain of events; some ironic, others hilarious. While he successfully manages to locate his scooter — which is a feat in elitist Delhi — he unwittingly gets caught up in red-tape and a bizarre court case.
He handles these tricky situations with endearing optimism and a sense of humour. Amar Choudhary fits the role of the common man well. His easy dialogue delivery style drew the audience deeper into the story.
“Leela Nandlal Ki” will be performed today at 8 p.m. and on November 6 at 3.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. at Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield. Tickets are priced at Rs. 250 and are available at www.indianstage.in and www.bookmyshow.com
