New Delhi [India]: Theatre is poetry! It’s an amalgamation of music, dance and body language which takes the process of emoting to its peak. With the boom of visual digital media, theater had taken a backseat in terms of popularity.
However lately, a bunch of people with undying passion and admiration for the art of theatre has been trying to revive its glory and the results are pleasantly positive. Marathi theatre, which is so rich in culture and history, often doesn’t receive the attention and acknowledgement it deserves.
Incorporating the passion for theatre and love for Marathi Language, Rutuja Nagwekar, a young artist, is ready to set the stage ablaze in her mother tongue in Zubin Driver’s ‘Mumbai vs Mumbai.’
Discussing her theatre experience and aspirations, Rutuja, who’s portraying the role of a woman with many layers and complexities in the upcoming play, said, “I started my theatre career 5 years ago when I was in Junior College before which I was active in cultural activities. I was active since my school days in Laxmi Bai when my teacher advised me I should join theater activities. I continued doing theatre in junior college, only backstage. During Degree College I got a chance to perform on stage since that time I have never looked back.”
‘Mumbai vs Mumbai’ is an experimental theater piece inspired by playwright Driver’s critically acclaimed book ‘Falling Indians.’ This unique performance is made up of five English and one Marathi monologues and explores the city of dream in all its honesty. Rutuja would be performing the Marathi translation of the monologue ‘Striptease.’
“When Zubin introduced me to strip tease, I felt that I am not of the right age to perform as the character goes through shades of life and is a mature character who is quite confident whereas I was very much conscious”, the powerhouse of talent said.
“I felt that the content is strong and if it gets connected to the regional audience, it will be more impactful. It was Zubin’s idea to translate it. A friend and I got the tone before writing according to which we chose the right kind of language. For instance, harsh words, alankaric bhasa- you convey harsh things through melody of the word. The word sounds melodic, but it is meant to be insulting in a subtle way,” Rutuja mentioned as she commented on how this performance will haunt you with its melancholic tonality and palpable theme.
Her performance stands out from the rest of ‘Mumbai vs Mumbai’ with its linguistic differences while being seamlessly connected to the rest via its ability to reflect the megalopolis.
‘Striptease’ is a captivating, fierce, and soul-stirring performance which depicts a woman’s fight with her everyday life. The subtle violence against women, which is often undermined and laughed at, is a relevant issue and ‘Striptease’ honestly portrays the struggles.
The rawness and realism of Marathi Language makes it all the more impactful. ‘ Mumbai vs Mumbai’ will hit your conscious hard with ‘Striptease’ and five other equally moving monologues on February 24, at Cuckoo Club, in Bandra. (ANI)