There’s a saying that wedding dramas always make for good stories. Taking cue from that saying, Hasnain Shaikh, formulated Cardamom, a play set against the backdrop of an Indian wedding and showcases every bone rattling speed bump along the way. Covering every aspect from the plight of the Tinder generation to the peculiarities of Indian families, this play promises to bring out the convention in the act of being unconventional and acknowledging the landscape of morality in India, in a tongue in cheek manner.
Revolving around the Shankars and the Kumars, who hail from Mumbai and Bengaluru respectively, the play is all about them co-habitating a week before the wedding! “Around two years ago, a lot of people close to me started getting married and I had first-hand information about everything that went into a wedding. I got to see everything that went into this mammoth-sized event and what really fascinated me was the concept of the wedding film. It’s like an entire production, but on a wedding. I found it hilarious and that’s how the idea sprouted,” explains the director who staunchly believes in staging original content as well.
Almost like a sort-of live-in relationship between the Shankars and Kumars, is the biggest way of showing how unconventional the families are. “Everybody likes to think they are unconventional and modern. It’s almost like a bumper sticker now. Nobody believes they are backwards and because each family has a different idea of what being modern is, there are undeniable conflicts,” adds Hasnain, who has not only penned down and directed the play, but will also be acting in it! “No doubt, it was quite a challenge to understand how to adapt and balance between being a director and an actor. But I have a background in stand-up comedy which helped tremendously and gave me perspective on how to go about things,” says the youngster who has previously directed and scripted Perspectives.
The audience is also sure to identify with the play, which is another aspect which sets it apart. “From 10-year-old boys to 22-year-old girls and old parents, there’s something in it for everybody. Every character reminds you of somebody you know. We have tried to make the play as relatable as possible,” says Dr. Zulfia Shaikh, the founder and director of Bangalore School of Speech and Drama who will be playing the role of Abha Shankar, the mother of the bride. What appealed to her about this play in particular, we are inquisitive to know. “I feel like I have always been playing roles of very intellectual people. But this was a completely different and very fun experience for me because Abha is very influenced by Bollywood and is a tad bit ‘over-the-top’. For her, sab chalta hai. She is so melodramatic because she thinks that’s how people are – like they are in Karan Johar movies,” she laughs. And though she was being directed by her son, Zulfia says she didn’t realise it on stage! “He’s so comfortable in the shoes of the director and knew what he was doing. On stage, we transcend all barriers – I’m an actor and he’s the director who takes his role very seriously. Many a times, I even got called out for not remembering my lines or goofing up,” she says in conclusion.
— The play will be staged on March 24 and 25 at 8 pm, and on March 26 at 3 pm and 6.30 pm at the Jagriti Theatre
