This one-man staging explores a father and son's battle with mental illness

A few moments from the play

With varying capacities to empathise with one another, can we truly put ourselves in the shoes of another person who lives a very different experience from our own? Would communication that goes both ways inspire an outcome where empathy ends and appropriate action begins? These are some of the questions that we realise as theatre practitioner Anoop Gupta narrates one of his two upcoming plays called Upar Wala Kamra this weekend.

"It is the story of an old man. His son lives in an upstairs room, he lives with a mental illness and seldom leaves his room or communicates with his father. The old man inhabits a new space post-retirement where he finally has time for his family [his son] but is unable to help or understand the difficulties his son endures. In his attempt to do so, he launches into narrations about the boy's childhood and his own experiences," Delhi-based Gupta says. Sharing a crucial thought that holds the play together, he adds, "Though they live in the same house, their worlds are separated and can never meet, in spite of the father trying hard to break through to the other side." Moving swiftly from the main character to the son, Gupta performs both roles in this Hindi play. It runs up to 80 minutes, and has been written for ages 18 and above.

The play is inspired by Gupta's own journey with mental health to the extent that he never sat to write the script or plan its plot. "I began spontaneously on the [studio] floor and structured the play instinctively. Initially, it was told from the son's point of view, but there was a line by the father that came about, which I found powerful," Gupta notes. He continues, "Mental health [battles] are such unique experiences that it is difficult to communicate them to others. But such is the nature of these issues that caretakers or people outside also go through a difficult time with the desperation to understand and help."

Writer, director and performer Anoop Gupta

Did the character of the father develop due to the generational gap that makes it tough to open up about these battles, we ask? Gupta reminds us that dealing with mental health issues can be an isolating battle. He explains, "Not just parents, but it is difficult to communicate this to everyone, even one's peer and contemporaries." Perhaps this one-man play written, directed and performed by Gupta alludes to this gap in communication. "I wanted to showcase this outside point of view through the protagonist - the father whom we also begin to empathise with as well," he concludes.

On: October 7; 7 pm
At: Mukti Manch, Aram Nagar, Andheri West
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com
Cost: Rs 300