Dalip Tahil hits the stage

In his first-ever comical theatre role, Tahil turns counsellor to those with suicidal tendencies

Dalip Tahil

Dalip Tahil is set to step onto the floorboards in a light-hearted role for the first time. The veteran actor will be seen in the English play, Can I Help You?, in which he will play an amusing yet endearing character.

The drama premieres on September 18 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA. Written and directed by Abhishek Patnaik, the cast includes Anant Mahadevan, Darsheel Safary and Bhavna Pani. Says Dalip, "On stage, I have mostly done serious stuff, but this time, it's a light-hearted role. It is not a funny caricature, but there are lots of moments that will make you chuckle."

Can I Help You? is about a retired insurance agent (played by Tahil) living in Darjeeling, close to a suicide point, and how he ends up becoming a counsellor and saves lives. His character is called Ramakant Surajdas Dhanvantari Lal. As the name is a tongue-twister, he is simply called Don since he has the unique record of selling over 100 life insurance policies in a calendar year.

"He is the don of life insurance policies, not of the underworld," guffaws Tahil, adding that indigenous writers should be encouraged in theatre. On the film front, the actor was in Georgia recently for the shoot of Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine. "I am back working with my favourite directors. I have done several films with them including Baazigar (1993), Soldier (1998) Ajnabee (2001) Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) and Race (2008)."

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