An ethical diagnosis! Catch 'Aakhri Peshi', a play dedicated to doctors

(From left) Actors Aanjjan Srivastav, Vishnu Mehra and Sanjeev Vatsa at the rehearsal of 'Aakhri Peshi'

"I came here to suggest that you resign from your job," declares an unknown protester, who barges into the office of a celebrated cardiologist and a Padma award recipient, who is now the deputy health minister. Before the demand gets rubbished, it becomes clear that the man knows something about the minister's past, perhaps a bit too much. As skeletons come tumbling out of the cupboard, Dr Kalmi is compelled to introspect about his motives, and whether the success rate of the surgeries that define his career can at all be termed a success.

Jaspaul Sandhu

This cross-examination forms the plot of the IPTA production, Aakhri Peshi, which returns to stage for the first time after it premiered in 1989. A Hindi adaptation by Mumtaz Nikhat of the play, The Last Appointment, by Russian playwright Vladlen Dozortsev, it is a conflict between ideals and ruthless pragmatism, best summarised in the words of Tolstoy: "There are only two genuine kinds of misfortune - illness and pangs of conscience."

"Corruption plagued medicine in India 30 years ago, and it continues to do so today," says director Jaspaul Sandhu. "When a doctor refuses to take on risky cases to maintain his success rate, he puts the patient's life in jeopardy," he adds.

"Veteran actor Aanjjan Srivastav, who plays the lead, shares, "The play sends out an important message. We have kept the entry for doctors and journalists free, with the hope that it makes an impact." He adds, "Dealing with such a sensitive subject was an emotionally exhausting experience. But you see doctors who are part of sinister rackets all around, and this is a call to their comatose conscience."

On: Tonight, 8 pm
At: Rangsharda, Bandra Reclamation
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Entry: Rs 250