New Delhi: Aafat Mein Jaan, staged by Manch Aap Sab Ka (MASK) at LTG Auditorium, New Delhi on August 20, left theatre lovers rolling in the aisles.
The play is about a police station where an inspector, a havildar and a constable, all get entangled in a series of problems.
The play opens on a residential colony in the National capital where live P K Sharma (Rabindra Vatsa) and Sudha Verma (Dr Supriya Pahuja) in two separate flats, with one facing the other.
The elderly couple decides to spend some time together. They wish to watch an adult film in film hall. But here they face a problem. Sharma’s grand daughter Pinky (Prachi Mehra) stands as a hurdle. To get rid of her, they take her to her school only to know that the school is closed due to the death of the principal’s mother.
They devise a plan, and drop her at the police station, saying they found her abandoned.
Then a young couple picked up from Buddha Park are brought to the police station.
Meanwhile, Pinky comes out as a difficult child for policemen to handle. They too try to get rid of her.
The policemen are expecting a special officer and a pickpocket. Just then, a pickpocket arrives whom the cops mistake for the special officer and start treating him accordingly.
Then the real special officer arrives at the police station gets the treatment of a thief.
Realising the mistakes they have committed, the inspector, havildar and constable say “Ab ta aa gayi Aafat Mein Jaan.”
Each and every scene was executed so brilliantly that the packed audience could not help giving a wide round of applause.
There were as many as 12 actors on the stage-nine males and two females and one 10-year-old child.
Though all the actors tried their level best to do justice to their respective characters, it was Prachi Mehra’s Pinky who stole the show.
From the way the scenes were executed, it was evident the efforts put in to make it a successful play.
Theatre lovers remained glued to their seats throughout the play, enjoying every scene.
While President of MASK, Dinesh Ahlawat was the writer and director of the play, he also designed the stage for the play. The use of stage space and props were excellent. And, Anmol Sethi’s light needs special mention.
MASK, one of the premier theatre organisations in the city established in 2002 has been organising Panchanan Pathak Smriti Saptahant Hasya Naatya Samaroh at LTG Auditorium, Mandi House, New Delhi, every year, from September 10 to October 9, in memory of legendary theatre personality Panchanan Pathak.
Photo courtesy: MASK
By kalasanskruti
