Indian Newslink July 15 Digital Edition
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JULY <strong>15</strong>, 2016<br />
28 ARTLINK-Ratna Venkat<br />
The pasture is not always green the other side<br />
Ratna Venkat<br />
ratna@indiannewslink.co.nz<br />
New Zealanders are regularly<br />
treated to quality<br />
shows presented by<br />
local and international<br />
artistes and Auckland continues<br />
to attract visitors and inspire its<br />
residents alike.<br />
‘Love N Stuff’ was one such<br />
show presented by Prayas<br />
Theatre Company that could be<br />
seen as an example to highlight<br />
the city’s growing population<br />
and changing demography.<br />
A play written by Londonbased<br />
Bengali playwright<br />
Tanika Gupta and directed by<br />
Auckland resident Sananda<br />
Chatterjee, this was Prayas’<br />
first full-length comedy that<br />
ran from June 23 to <strong>July</strong> 3, 2016<br />
at The Auckland Performing<br />
Arts Centre (TAPAC) in Western<br />
Springs.<br />
Diverse Cast<br />
Though the original play featured<br />
only two actors playing 16<br />
characters, debutante director<br />
Sananda and her team featured<br />
a talented cast of 16 individuals<br />
from diverse backgrounds, with<br />
the story having a New Zealand<br />
perspective set at Auckland<br />
International Airport.<br />
Bindi (played by Sudeepta<br />
Vyas) and Mansoor (Mustaq<br />
Missouri), a childless couple<br />
Anisha Bhattacharya, Prateek Vadgaonkar and others on a ‘four-wheeler’<br />
who reside in the Auckland suburb<br />
of Sandringham, are happily<br />
married until Mansoor<br />
decides to go back to his hometown<br />
of New Delhi.<br />
Worried that her husband<br />
may walk out of their 35-year<br />
bond, Bindi and her friends<br />
put forth an array of tactics at<br />
Auckland Airport’s Departure<br />
lounge in an attempt to<br />
convince him not to leave.<br />
Some of them include Bindi<br />
recollecting memories of her<br />
time in India and with Mansoor<br />
as a young man going through<br />
triumphs and trials (played respectively<br />
by Divya Hariharan<br />
and Rishabh Kapoor), while the<br />
rest include their friends and acquaintances<br />
trying to help ‘seal<br />
back’ the couple’s relationship; incidents<br />
which were seriously funny<br />
(or funnily serious) causing<br />
the audience to break into moments<br />
of awe and laughter.<br />
Eventually, Mansoor leaves<br />
for New Delhi but returns to<br />
his wife and the sanctity of his<br />
Sandringham home, realising<br />
that true happiness is not where<br />
one lives but who one lives<br />
with.<br />
Brilliant backdrop<br />
Set designer Tim Booth created<br />
scenarios laden with sofas<br />
and with light designer Sam<br />
Mence, uniquely transformed<br />
scenes from an airport departure<br />
lounge to a movie theatre<br />
to a Temple, the clever use<br />
of setting and lighting giving an<br />
overall 3D effect.<br />
The live orchestra comprising<br />
Alin John (Guitar and Bass),<br />
Karen Plimmer (Piano), Ritesh<br />
Vaghela (Octopad, Bass and<br />
Guitar), Sayanti Chatterjee<br />
(Vocal) and Vipul Dev (Tabla<br />
and Cajon), provided background<br />
score (literally) to the<br />
cast, appearing as though they<br />
Sudeepta Vyas and Mustaq Missouri at 'Auckland Airport'<br />
too are witnessing the characters<br />
unfold from behind.<br />
It is hard to believe that ‘Love<br />
N Stuff’ is Sananda’s first stint<br />
as a director.<br />
She brought reality into many<br />
scenes, without the actual backdrops.<br />
One such was a number<br />
of people crisscrossing the stage,<br />
seemingly passengers and visitors<br />
at the ‘Auckland Airport,’<br />
bringing the scenic and thematic<br />
effect.<br />
It was an enjoyable story with<br />
likeable and relatable characters<br />
presented by Prayas this<br />
season.<br />
Migration issues<br />
On a serious note, the play was<br />
successful in bringing out a number<br />
of issues that could help in<br />
educating the public the perks<br />
and perils of migration and the<br />
psychological concept of ‘grass<br />
being greener on the other side.’<br />
Migrating to a known country<br />
includes trying to assimilate<br />
into an unknown society, and<br />
that can only happen with time<br />
and experience.<br />
There is also fantasy versus<br />
reality, portrayed by the young<br />
Bindi and Mansoor who dream<br />
and discuss of a luxurious lifestyle<br />
together with high-paying<br />
jobs, but soon reality is exposed<br />
when day-to-day affairs and responsibilities<br />
creep in, prompting<br />
the aging Mansoor to leave<br />
everything behind and go back<br />
to the place he once called<br />
‘home.’<br />
Bindi and Mansoor are just<br />
examples of the reality of today’s<br />
migrants, but whosoever<br />
thinks that they can follow suit<br />
by migrating to a foreign land,<br />
the advice is better to be prepared<br />
for the unexpected than<br />
become disappointed.<br />
We are making another important move.<br />
For the past 21 years, we have brought you<br />
moving stories, events, entertainment<br />
programmes and more because all of us belong<br />
to afamily. Now in that same family spirit, we<br />
have just made another important move.<br />
The Offices, Studios, and other facilities of<br />
Radio Tarana have moved to anew location at<br />
<strong>15</strong>5, New North Road<br />
(next to Mahatma Gandhi Centre).<br />
This also gives us anew opportunity to move to<br />
state-of- the-art technology, and welcome you<br />
in abetter environment.<br />
We call it an Important Move.<br />
Because it will make usserve you more,<br />
serve you better.<br />
Radio Tarana<br />
<strong>15</strong>5 New North Road, Eden Terrace<br />
Auckland 1023 |Phone: (09) 3032286<br />
Email: info@tarana.co.nz<br />
Website: www.tarana.co.nz
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