The classic romantic saga 'Devdas', now on stage

Devdas, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s tragic novella, has been translated into various languages and also spawned many adaptations for the big screen. Now, the classic will be presented on stage. Directed by Saif Hyder Hasan and presented by AGP World (a leading theatre production company), it stars well-known actors such as Gaurav Chopraa, Manjari Fadnis, Sunil Palwal, Sukhada Khandkekar, Bhavna Pani and Smita Jayakar. In this re-imagined version, the story is narrated by Chandramukhi, a glamorous courtesan. Renowned art and cinematic director Omung Kumar has designed the elaborate sets that capture the milieu of the Calcutta of the 1900s, which forms as the play’s backdrop. While the classic and contemporary fusion dance performances are choreographed by Shampa Sonthalia and Bertwin Ravi Dsouza; Shail Hada, Bhoomi Trivedi, Shaan, Alka Yagnik, Suresh Wadkar and Antara Mitra have lent their voices to Parivesh Singh’s compositions.

Ashvin says, “I’m thoroughly excited to bring this classic on stage. Devdas has witnessed several adaptations in the Indian cinema, yet there is something about the epic that connects with the audience.”

Youthful, anguished love

Saif states that the story of youthful, anguished love appealed to him. He elaborates, “The story of unfulfilled love has resonated with audiences for the last 100 years.” The acclaimed director, however, decided to adopt a new approach for the production. “When I started writing the script, I asked myself what happens to Paro and Chandramukhi once Devdas dies. Though the essence remains the same, we are narrating it as a Krishna-Radha-Meera story.”

Having helmed productions such as Ek Mulaqat and Gardish Mein Taare, which largely dealt with doomed romance between prominent personalities like Amrita Pritam-Sahir Ludhianvi and Guru-Geeta Dutt, it is evident that Saif is drawn towards love stories. He explains, “All of us have had one unfulfilled relationship. There is a lot of drama in such cases. Also, the concept of never falling out of love isn’t outdated. It has rhythm, passion, obsession and musicality.”

Actors speak

For Bhavna Pani, who essays the role of Chandramukhi, it has been a long-cherished wish that has been fulfilled. She states, “For every dancer and actress, Chandramukhi is a dream role to play. She loves with absolute abandon, knowing the fact that her feelings won’t be reciprocated. My character shoulders a lot of responsibility as she narrates the whole story and brings all the elements together. It has been a challenge to bring this character to life through my performance. She is quite different from what you have seen in movies and books earlier as she is blasé.”

Meanwhile, Gaurav Chopraa has ensured that he lends the character of Devdas his own nuances and in the process, discovered a lot of things about himself. “I had to undo all the habits that I had as an actor. It has been tedious but pleasurable to discover a new self. I had to dip into the pool of my emotions to play the character. It comes from a deeply personal, intense space.”
The artiste, who is a popular face on television, has acted in numerous plays such as Bombay Crush, City of Dreams and The Dating Truths. He terms his relationship with the stage ‘as a secret affair that he never wants to gets out of.’ “This whole experience of finding a new me will help you see a different Gaurav on screen as well,” he tells us.

For Sukhada Khandkar, playing Paro helped her to tap the inner danseuse within her. “I’m a trained Kathak dancer. So, I read the original because I wanted to perceive Paro without any inhibitions,” she signs off.

Devdas will be staged from November 16-25 at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA at 7.30 pm.