Theatre director Saif Hyder Hasan adapts Devdas from Chandramukhi’s point of view
THE century-old novel Devdas caught the fancy of director Saif Hyder Hasan a couple of years ago, when a friend of his put together a stage production, based on the novel, in Sindhi. Unfortunately, they could manage to hold only one show of the play. When Hasan revisited the play for an ambitious theatrical experience, he remained faithful to the original story, by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
However, Hasan chose to introduce a twist and narrate the story from Chandramukhi’s point of view. Hasan recalls, “The first question I asked myself before I began scripting was, ‘What happens to the characters of Paro and Chandramukhi after Devdas’s death?’ That is what my first scene is.”
In spite of not being a heroic character, there is something about the character Devdas that appeals to audiences. Hasan believes it is his sensitive nature and the story of unfulfilled love that draw people to the character and story. “Most people have experienced unfulfilled love in their lives. Devdas’s character is portrayed as someone being unable to let go. This strikes a chord with the audience. The drama in the story too is enthralling,” says Hasan. The play will premiere on November 16 at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, at 7:30pm. Shows will continue till November 25.
Read the complete article published at Indian Express – Read more.
Leave a Reply