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Mahesh Bhatt's protege Imran Zahid to direct his 1984 classic drama live in theatre

Arth on stage.

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Most of the time it is the stage plays that are adapted into movies. It, therefore, comes as heartening news that Mahesh Bhatt’s 1984 film Arth will now be converted into a stage play by Bhatt’s protege Imran Zahid.

Imran earlier starred in The Last Salute, a play written by Bhatt based on the life of the Iraqi ‘shoe-thrower’ journalist Muntadhar-al-Zaidi. He will not only direct the stage adaptation of Bhatt’s trendsetting marital drama about an abandoned housewife played by Shabana Azmi, her unfaithful husband Kulbhushan Kharbanda and his mistress Smita Patil, he will also plays Kharbanda’s role in the stage adaptation.

Says Imran, “Arth is a classic. It raised the issue of gender equality way back in the 1980s. It looks at the issue of women’s emancipation like no Indian dramatic work ever has. I think 21st century India needs to experience the theme of Arth through theatre.”

Imran feels Arth has a renewed relevance. “The issues with regards to our society that were raised in Arth are relevant even today. Theatre has given me an entirely new outlet.

After staging two successful plays — The Last Salute and Trial of Errors — adapting such a piece of art into a theatrical adaptation will be a big challenge for me. But I am up to it. I also feel this medium will help in connecting the film’s powerful theme with audience in an altogether different way.”

Confirming the stage version of his powerful marital drama, Bhatt says, “Imran heads this venture. I’ve given him a no-objections letter to do a stage adaptation of Arth. I will be the creative consultant.”

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