Bringing Taj to India

After a triumphant tour of their play Taj based on the bonding between Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his daughter Jahanara, Kabir Bedi and Lisa Ray who play the two protagonists, are all set to bring the play to India. It is originally written by British playwright John Murrell.

Confirming this, Kabir says, “We’ve got standing ovations in almost every city we performed, including Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston and Banff. Nothing is more gratifying for stage actors than the spontaneous, heartfelt appreciation of audiences. Of course, cinema reaches a far bigger audience but nothing beats the joy of performing a great character without interruption, in a darkened hall, sensing the quickening heartbeats of the audience.”

Kabir has acted in historical plays like Tughlaq earlier and also played Emperor Shah Jahan in Akbar Khan’s film Taj Mahal. He is all praise for his co-star. “Lisa has been terrific as Jahanara, imprisoned with him. His story is revealed through his conversations with her, and dance-drama flashbacks. Taj is an exploration of a father-daughter relationship at its best. It was a real joy working with Lisa.”

Kabir is no stranger to international recognition. He feels theatre in India is crossing a new level.

“Things are definitely changing for the better in India. Theatre is making a big comeback, and we have so many great actors performing on stage now, in many languages. Abroad, theatre and cinema both have their audiences and are well established. That’s why, New York has Broadway and London it’s West End. I believe the golden age of Indian theatre will dawn very soon.”