Theatre director Anahita Uberoi: ‘The play is about the crossroads between literature and the entertainment worlds’

Theatre director Anahita Uberoi.

A satire on contemporary culture, Aadyam Theatre’s latest initiative As Bees in Honey Drown is an adaptation of Douglas Carter Beane’s award-winning theatre play. Adapted by Akarsh Khurrana and directed by Anahita Uberoi, the witty and provocative production also has a talented star cast, including Shikha Talsania, Ashwin Mushran, Aditya Rawal and Meher Acharia Dar among others.

Actor Ashwin Mushran.

In a candid chat, Uberoi tells us more about exploring the relationship between the arts and commercial success in her latest directorial project. Edited excerpts:

Have you seen the original play As Bees in Honey Drown on stage?

No, I haven’t seen the original play. I lived in New York around the time it was staged but didn’t get to see it, even though my friend was in it. I came back to India and everyone kept saying you must do this play because it is lovely. I was very tempted to do it back then but then other things got in the way. When I re-looked at it after so many years, I realised that this play would not have worked, even maybe 15 years ago.  Today, because of social media, it works again. The relevance worked for today and we have been really lucky that the playwright has been so generous that we could recontextualise it and place it in the Mumbai of today. The parallel worked very well because it was New York to Bombay; New York being the cultural hub of the United States and Mumbai, here. So, that made it easy to draw those parallels.

How do you think the themes tie up with today’s scenario?

Entertainment has always been so huge but in the last few years, so much happened in the space of OTT platforms and social media. Social media has allowed people to present themselves in the way they want to present themselves without any intermediaries. It has become very easy to project yourself in the shiniest, brightest and happiest way — not that that is the central theme of the play at all. It is about a young writer meeting this fantastic woman and the crossroads between literature and the cultural/entertainment worlds. It’s a very interesting meeting of worlds and it comes with its troubles, at times its ridiculousness, its conflicts as well as its dreams. It is a nice, complicated relationship between the arts and commercial success.

And, it is witty...

Of course, it is! I’d say, it’s very witty. It’s a play which has two characters played by Aditya Rawal and Shikha Talsania and here are four other actors who are playing multiple roles. I find this play a very exciting piece for actors. The actors are key in this storytelling because it requires a lot of talent and craft. One needs wonderful actors who can have a beautiful time playing off each other on stage.

Theatre actor Aditya Rawal

Can you tell us a bit more about the casting for this play?

I like people coming from different worlds and different backgrounds. Apart from being really talented, this cast has been very disciplined and enthusiastic. Of course, they are all a little crazy and that helps! (Laughs)

Theatre director Akarsh Khurrana has adapted the play from the original. How was it working with him?

It is actually the first time in all these years that Akarsh and I are working together. It has been a lovely and mutually respectful relationship. I really appreciate every bit of his writing and adaptation process. He gave me a lot of freedom on the rehearsal floor as well. Usually, the process of adaptation can take up to months but we didn’t have a lot of time. He was so quick and so spot on, especially when it comes to Mumbai and using Hindi as well as English. He is so good that it seems quite effortless.

What do you think has been Aadyam’s contribution to the world of theatre?

I am such an admirer of this initiative because it is not just a one-time thing. It has stayed with theatre and genuinely supported the theatre community and made it comfortable for theatre companies to create without worrying about funding and logistics. They have really embraced the productions they have selected. Their selection process is not just about showcasing the plays and being done with them. It is also about other things such as newsletters and podcasts. Even during the pandemic, they held a lot of virtual interactions with the audience and the theatre community. I can’t call them sponsors because they are much more than that. They have really stepped in as patrons and producers and have come in with a lot of love.

The play opens at the Royal Opera House, Mumbai, on April 15 at 7.30 pm and April 16 at 4 pm and 7.30 pm. Tickets are available on BookMyShow. For more details, visit www.aadyam.co.in