'Tumhari Amrita' incomplete without Farooq: Feroz Abbas

New Delhi: Playwright Feroz Abbas Khan cannot imagine any other actor playing the part of the suave Lucknow Nawab Zulfikar Haider in 'Tumhari Amrita' after the death of his friend Farooq Sheikh.

Sheikh, Shabana Azmi and Feroz formed a team with the play which completed its 20 year journey in 2012 and has since acquired a cult status. Feroz feels it is incomplete without the actor, who died of a heart attack in Dubai on December 27.

"I feel my play is raw without Farooq. I have loads of memories of him with the play and all these are happy and fun-filled ones. I, Farooq and Shabana grew as human beings with the play. Right now, I can't think that any other actor can replace Farooq," Feroz told.

'Tumhari Amrita', starring Azmi as bohemian Indian painter Amrita and Sheikh as her childhood friend. Their 35-year-old relationship unfolds through the letters that they write to each other.

The play has only two characters reading out letters to each other, a concept Feroz initially thought would not work with Indian audience but 'Tumhari Amrita', an adaptation of A R Gurney's American drama 'Love Letters', surprised him with its longevity.

"I was completely taken aback when my play was received well by the urban India. I realise that if you try to connect your audience emotionally then nothing can stop you. I staged the play first time at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai in February 1992 and it's still a hit," he said.

After his successful stint as a filmmaker with critically acclaimed 'Gandhi, My Father' in 2007, Feroz is all set to introduce his next film 'Dekh Tamasha Dekh'. The political satire will hit theatres on April 11.

"I am not a cinema person. I am more into theatre because I enjoy doing it. I make films when I want to say something, which should reach to the masses. 'Dekh Tamasha Dekh' is a satire on our political and social system which will hit theatres right at the time of the elections."

Feroz has also ventured into small screen with issue based show 'Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon'.

A Population Foundation of India (PFI) initiative, the TV show will address practices such as sex selection, early marriage, early and repeated pregnancies and domestic violence against women in Indian society.

"I got in touch with PFI when I made a short film for them called 'Hole Hole'. This time, they wanted me to make something on a larger scale for TV because it is one of the most powerful mediums.

TV can engage audience emotionally and socially. So, I made a social drama to sensitise people about different issues connected to women," he said.

Feroz feels the content of small screen has suffered with the onset of satellite television in India.

"They have gone down. They have turned many progressive ideas into regressive behaviour. I don't feel there is any show in these channels which has any recall value like our earlier shows 'Malgudi Days', 'Humlog' and 'Buniyad' had," he said.