It's houseful at Mumbai's Prithvi theatre for these juvenile home kids
MUMBAI: Professional production, ticketed shows, popular acclaim. A dramatic intervention hopes to help children at city's
Umerkhadi home
reimagine their place in the world.
Earlier this month, the stage at Prithvi Theatre belonged to 19 children in conflict with the law — many charged with serious offences — as they stood in the spotlight, not as wrongdoers but as artistes, reclaiming their story.
The boys — all from Umerkhadi Observation and Children's Home — were the stars of '
Ek Aise Gagan Ke Tale
', adapted from Badal Sircar's whimsical, 'Beyond the Land of Hattamala', and directed by theatre artiste Sapan Saran. The play is set in a surreal land, where nothing is bought or sold. Two bumbling thieves stumble into it and find that it values kindness over the wallet — a world far from the one these boys have known.
For the audience, it was an evening of llaughter and surprise. For the boys, it was much more — a shot at being seen differently. Just months ago, none of them had seen a play, let alone acted in one. Aged 16 to 20, most ended up at the home in connection with serious offences like theft, rape, and murder. Some are undertrials, a few have been committed (juvenile justice term for convicted), but all carry more personal and legal baggage than most adults will in a lifetime.
Their fifth consecutive sold-out show, the play was a part of Theatre for Change, a drama-based intervention that begins with weekly sessions and builds up to one full production a year with professional direction, public shows, and paying audiences. The initiative is meant to support 'children in conflict with the law', a term that humanises their status but rarely alters their path.
'We didn't want an NGO showcase, but a proper, ticketed play where the boys feel like artistes — a way for them to step out of the margins and into the mainstream,' says Timira Gupta, project mentor at Ashiyana Foundation, which works with at-risk children and youth.
It began, as many powerful stories do, with something small. On Human Rights Day in 2023, a group of boys from the Dongri home were invited to perform a 15-minute skit at the Raj Bhavan, called 'Second Chance', pieced together from scraps of their own lives. It was part of a theatre workshop Ashiyana had started at the home.
'The shift was visible before their first-ever show,' recalls Sachi
Maniar
, director of Ashiyana. 'They were talking about dialogues, not bail or court dates. And they were performing for judges, cops, authority figures — you could see the shift in gaze.' For the first time, they weren't seen as offenders, but as artistes. 'It showed in their posture, their eyes, their energy.' That moment, says Maniar, planted a seed that has since grown into this full-length play.
The boys didn't warm to theatre immediately. Coming from fractured homes and violent surroundings, some were too wary to trust the room. 'They didn't want to do what they thought was ajibo-garib (strange),' laughs Gupta. But soon they were hooked, and the script grew from their ideas. 'They are victims of circumstances. Many are school dropouts with no role models. Some can't even read. Many struggle with language, memory, or focus, and so the play was adapted to suit the boys' strengths and realities,' says Maniar.
Saran, who spent four months coaxing performances and conversations from the boys, says the play's humour and idealism opened up complex conversations. 'They have strong opinions about the world and how it works. The play lets them imagine an alternative,' she says, calling it a bridge between where they've been and where they want to go.
For the boys, the transformation is visceral. 'They walk and talk differently. Their sense of self-worth has gone from zero to hundred,' says Gupta. Initially, the team considered giving them masks to protect their identity. But the boys refused.
For Veer being in the play stirred something long dormant. 'Main kharaab hoon. Sabko pata hai (I'm bad. Everyone knows it),' he says, matter-of-factly. 'But there's something good in this play. And I'm part of it. So, it feels like I'm doing something good, too.' Jai talks of how, after one show, the dignitaries came up to speak with them, seeking them out as artistes, not offenders. 'Bahut acha laga jab bade-bade judges ne aake humse izzat aur pyaar se baat ki (It felt good when important judges spoke to us with love and respect),' he says.
'Too often, children in conflict with the law are defined by what they've done or where they're from. But they're also dreamers, thinkers, creators,' says Maniar, who sees this as central to Ashiyana's restorative work at the Umerkhadi Home, one of the country's oldest at 220 years, that offers vocational training, education, and counselling. With the play, the idea was that it's arts-led interventions like these that help children heal and reimagine their place in the world.
Like Kenaram, the hapless thief in the play, who stumbles into a land where money means nothing, 17-year-old Ali — who plays him — finds himself in a world just as unfamiliar, filled with light, laughter, and second chances. 'Through the play, I've seen new places, met new people, done things I never imagined,' he says.
Kader, 18, puts it simply: 'We kids don't always know what's right and wrong. We just flow, like a river. But this play gave us better direction. I hope people realise that kids like us need guidance.'
The bond between the boys has deepened, too. 'Earlier, we barely spoke — just gaali (abuses),' says Ali. 'Now we joke around using lines from the play, and look out for each other.' Even home feels different. 'My brother and sister came to watch me. Not my father. But I heard he's proud. That made me happy,' he smiles. Ali now dreams of running a small business — 'maybe a food shop'. And what's he leaving behind? 'Just the aimless wandering.'
(Names changed to protect identity)
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Hindustan Times
a day ago
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6 days ago
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Time of India
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- Time of India
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Aditya Rawal and Zahan Kapoor revisit 'Siachen,' a play exploring the emotional and creative depths of soldiers on the icy frontlines. Guided by Makarand Deshpande, they've refined the production based on audience feedback and personal artistic growth over two years. The play delves into themes of war, inner conflict, nationalism, duty, and identity, aiming for a sharper, more layered experience. As Siachen returns to stage this week, writer-actor Aditya Rawal and lead performer Zahan Kapoor, reflect on the emotional and creative journey behind the play that explores the icy frontlines of war and inner conflicts of soldiers. With new edits and deeper insights gained over two years of performances, the duo, guided by director Makarand Deshpande , promise a sharper and more layered experience, shaped as much by the audience reactions as by their own artistic evolution in the last two years. Excerpts from the conversation… Siachen is being staged again. What does it mean to both of you to return to this play now, and what can audiences expect this time around? Aditya Rawal: The play has been running for two years now, so every time we get together it feels like a homecoming, especially at Prithvi Theatre. This time around, we have made some new additions and edits, so the audience can expect a sharper, more engaging experience. Also, when it comes to theatre, actors and the technicians keep discovering things in a play - so they keep getting better. For example, when Al Pacino played Richard III, it was only after about 80 performances that he figured out how to utter one of the character's most famous lines, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!'. Zahan Kapoor: It's always a pleasure to return to the rehearsal room and even more so when we are prepping for shows at Prithvi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Before Dying, My Husband Said, I'm Sorry. I Asked For What. You'll See. Then This Happened Novelodge Undo With each successive run, the learning has been incredible and a true testimony to how endless the process of discovery can be. I'd hope audiences are as intrigued as we are into the story, the characters and the presentation we have put together. Aditya, what was the initial spark behind writing Siachen? Did any particular incident, news story, or personal reflection set this story in motion? Aditya Rawal: As a keen student of military history, I was always fascinated by the Siachen Glacier, the coldest, highest battlefield on earth, where there has been a ceasefire since 2003. And yet, the best soldiers of India and Pakistan are deployed there to face the greatest enemy of all, mother nature. The sole deterrent to vacating our respective positions is the fear that the other will occupy it immediately after, thereby gaining the strategic high ground. To me, this conflict is emblematic of war, in general, and of all human conflict that stems from distrust. It is an absurd and tragic conflict, but the play asks: Is it also necessary? Zahan, how did you first come on board for Siachen? What about the script or character immediately spoke to you? Zahan Kapoor: Aditya and I were trying to make the most of our time during the second lockdown of the pandemic where we would read and discuss plays. Aditya mentioned that he had developed this story while he was in drama school and we decided to have a read. One thing lead to another, but it seemed like the perfect fit. A homegrown story, set against a unique backdrop and intimate so we could attempt to make it into something real. Working with Makarand Deshpande, what was special? Aditya Rawal: Makarand Deshpande is the director and guiding light of our play. The joy, freedom and lack of fear with which he approaches the creative process really stood out for me. Our cast and crew are all in their 20's or early 30's yet he always felt like the youngest person in the room. Working with him has shaped not only the play, but also all of us as artists. Zahan Kapoor: Mak sir is an incredible source of inspiration. I admire his sense of playfulness most of all, and then it's his sense of discipline and dedication. He has decades of experience and understands so many aspects of the theatre, it's truly amazing. Having him guide us as we searched for meaning and impact has been a pleasure and a privilege. Aditya, how did you strike a balance between the play's physical setting—the cold, isolating glacier—and the internal worlds of the characters? Aditya Rawal: The ideal is to be both immersive and engaging. You want the audience to believe in the world you create and be fully involved in it while telling them a story that is emotionally moving. The research I had done allowed me to feel secure in my knowledge of the world so I could focus completely on the characters and their journeys. If you understand both facets well enough, then the world invariably affects the characters and you're able to figure out how they would react in the given situation too. That said, you can never really know a world or people to the fullest - and our play reflects that sense of surrender as well. Zahan, coming from a rich legacy of theatre and film, what excites you about working in a contemporary original play like Siachen? Do you approach it differently than your other roles? Zahan Kapoor: I honestly try to approach all roles in a similar way. I'm very proud that we have presented an original story, and along side a very interesting cast and crew. It's our first step into building our own repertoire. Theatre is live, raw, and unpredictable. Were there any performances or rehearsals that stood out—either because they were challenging or unexpectedly moving? Aditya Rawal: The early rehearsals were challenging because we were trying to figure out the shape of the play. Then, with two weeks to go the actor in one of the lead parts had to drop out. Niketan Sharma stepped in and, guided by Makarand Sir, breathed life into the character superbly despite the shortage of time. So, basically the entire rehearsal process was memorable to me! As for shows, the two we performed in front of a packed audience at the Kamani Auditorium in Delhi; first at the biggest theatre festival in the world, NSD's Bharat Rang Mahotsav, and the month after at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards. Zahan Kapoor: Oh there's been so many, it's hard to choose! It's a wonderful feeling to make breakthroughs in rehearsal and equally, it's crushing yet deeply essential, to hit blocks and feel stuck too. Theatre really keeps your ego in check, it'll you get too carried away with 'getting it right' you'll quickly find yourself in a fix. It compels you to let go of expectations and discover afresh every time. Has the audience response from the earlier shows influenced the way you're approaching this restaging? Have any reactions stayed with you? Aditya Rawal: Absolutely. A play is an ever shifting, ever changing thing. Everything, even the actor's mood on the day, influences the nature of a performance. The reactions that are most dear to us are of the members of the armed forces that have come to watch our play, especially the ones that have served on the glacier and other high-altitude regions. When they say that the play reflects the experiences they had whilst serving - it makes everything we do feel worth it. Zahan Kapoor: Yes I think there have been many things we have learned from audience reactions, maybe some edits, maybe some clarifications; all in all, this is part of the beauty of theatre, its dynamic and fluctuating. We needn't try to fix it too much. Siachen touches on ideas of nationalism, duty, and identity. In today's climate, do you feel these themes are being received differently or more urgently? Aditya Rawal: Certainly. Because these themes are talked about more often and in greater depth, people have begun to appreciate the nuances of every difficult situation; the fact that nothing is truly black and white. Of course, there has been a regrettable swing the other way too, and telling stories like Siachen is our way to reveal aspects of humanity that are often ignored in conflict situations. Zahan Kapoor: It may seem so, there's definitely a sense of immediacy to some of the ideas, especially considering our recent conflict. Beyond simple arguments though, is always a deeply felt experience of loss, triumph, meaning and purpose. It all comes down to the clash of ideas and human emotions, that part is probably eternal.
