The idea is to make people sit up and think: Lushin Dubey

Journalist Pinki Virani captured the real-life tragedy of Aruna Shanbaug, who was brutally raped in the hospital where she was a nurse, and abandoned by her family, in her book Aruna’s Story, which was published in 1998. The nurse was in a vegetative state for 42 years before she finally passed away in 2015. Pinki filed a plea, following which the Supreme Court passed a landmark law allowing passive euthanasia in India.

Veteran actor Lushin Dubey will now be seen in a play based on the book. 
Titled Aruna’s Story, the solo, which is directed by Arvind Gaur and presented by Raell Padamsee’s Ace Productions, premieres in Mumbai next week.
Lushin shares with After Hrs her experience of being a part of this play and the challenges that she faced.

What prompted you to take up Aruna’s Story?

I had approached Pinki about nine years ago, but at that time, she told me that its rights were sold. Around 12 years back, I started focussing on subjects such as empowerment, HIV, communalism, harmony and child sexual abuse as I felt the stage is a powerful medium of expression to communicate and connect with the audience.  That’s when I asked her if I could adapt Bitter Chocolate for stage as child sexual abuse is also rampant. She was pleased with the way Arvind and I had put up her work. So, she came to us in 2016, asked us if we were still keen to present Aruna’s Story on stage and then gave us the rights.

How have you approached such a sensitive subject?

You will not see Aruna in a bed looking miserable. We have shown her as a lively girl, who was ambitious and determined. It has its darker moments because it’s peppered with what has happened to her. The threads of emotions in the production are not about just one incident but several things that are connected with her life and the law. I play as many as 18 characters. We have also spoken about the efforts taken by Pinki to fight for the law against rape. After the performance, we will have an interactive discussion between the audience and special guests from different arms of the government and NGOs.

What challenges did you face?

Every piece is tough, especially when it’s a solo that deals with such a serious subject. The challenge lies in how far you can go ahead with it. It doesn’t guarantee commercial success. It’s scary for a performer, because you are presenting a difficult subject to people. You wonder whether you will be able to move them and prompt them to think.
As a performer, you are always nervous because the whole show is on your shoulders.

What were the new things that you discovered as an artist?

Every piece prompts you to discover something about yourself. After all, you play with so many emotions. Acting on screen and stage is all about your feelings and being in the moment. Performing in a solo, especially, requires 
tremendous concentration because you are playing diverse characters and pushing yourself to venture into places where you haven’t stepped before.

Aruna’s Story premieres on October 12 at 7 pm at The Royal Opera House.