Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe

Mughal-e-Azam director brings his flair to this contemporary and epistolary play

Love, loss, peace, and regret are emotions that humans constantly resonate with in their daily lives. Exploration of these tiny memorials of consciousness forms the base of the renowned Director, Feroz Abbas Khan's play, Letters of Suresh. "Theatre allows us to explore a variety of themes, encouraging us to create a very coherent and intellectual experience for the audience", says Feroz Abbas Khan over a call. "All four characters are trying to connect with each other and while watching them doing so, the audiences learn a lot about life and themselves."

Actor and director, Vir Hirani plays the role of Suresh in the play

Written by the imminent playwright Rajiv Joseph, this play tells the story of four characters, penning letters to each other while journeying through love, loss, death, and a yearning for human connection. Although the play has been performed multiple times by an American cast in the US before, this will be its first Indian adaptation and production, along with a complete Indian cast. "The casting of this play has been very spontaneous and natural, almost as if the actors wished to these parts, more than me choosing them," says Feroz.

Equally passionate and excited about performing this play is actor Vir Hirani who plays one of the leads characters, and is the son of Bollywood director, Rajkumar Hirani. It's also his debut. "The primary reason for choosing this play, both for the director and the actors has been the script, which was beautifully structured and ideated. With only a brief meeting with Rajiv in the US, the idea for the play gradually evolved into a full-fledged production.

Bollywood actress Palomi Ghosh plays the role of Melody in the play

It has been a great experience doing this play. My character, Suresh is a genius in origami and navigates his life and relationship with an 80-year-old Japanese man, who also becomes his father figure," Hirani tells us. The play speaks about the importance of human connections through the monologue style of performances, depicted through the letters, a style that was also explored in one of Khan's former plays, Tumhari Amrita.

Khan is very clear about taking this play only to small theatres, as it is an immersive and intimate experience. He beileves it will lose its charm in the big theatres. "The play is a very intimate theatre experience and the audience must expect the play to be about writing and very fine performances of acting, instead of grand sets and lighting," says Khan.

WHEN: May 9-May 12
WHERE: NMACC, Mumbai
Price: Rs 500 Onwards, first come first serve