Murder, blackmail, mayhem and everything else that can go wrong, goes wrong on That Evening in Ooty. Directed and scripted by Avinash Rao, the thriller by Theatre on Bengaluru, promises to lure you in with the intriguing plot, and keep you on the edge of your seat with elements of suspense and surprise, and shades of extreme that drive people to do the things they do.
The idea of the thriller, was an original one. “The idea sprouted on a visit my wife and I took to Chottoor, where her uncle resides. He is a short story writer (Telugu) and that was where I got my inspiration from,” he says. The story revolves around Sameer and Nandini who have previously dated and chance upon each other in Ooty, which brings them back together, despite their past. “Though the story centres around the couple, it also deals with the hidden agendas of the other people around them, their greed and other personal wants which bring about a huge twist and leave you wondering if there is actually a more sinister agenda behind Sameer and Nandini reuniting,” reveals Avinash, who has previously directed The Fifth Enemy. And while most other productions revolve around comedy and drama, Avinash thinks thrillers bring out a different shade of extreme in the industry. “It is a huge challenge to build up the suspense and keep the audience glued, and wanting for more,” adds the director.
Keeping the audience hooked, seems like top priority for the crew. And despite having nothing in common with his stage character Sameer, Imran Pasha still found the script incredibly appealing. “Romancing on stage was one of the biggest challenges I faced as I don’t have a girlfriend so it’s quite hard to channelise that trait. And Pooja, who plays Nandini is like my sister!,” laughs the actor who has been in the industry for around nine years. So what should the audience come prepared for, we want to know. “An evening of pure entertainment. It’s not going to be a Christopher Nolan or Abbas-Mustan kind of thriller, but a completely different one keeping theatre in mind. So I think, the audience should expect the unexpected and allow themselves to be a part of the character’s lives, throughout the evening,” he says signing off.
The play will be staged at Rangasthala Auditorium on February 12 at 5 pm and 7 pm.
