Trouble In Paradise

Trouble In Paradise

    REVIEW OF THE WEEK Play : Gasha Directed by : Abhishek Majumdar Duration : 100 minutes Cast : Adhir Bhat and Sandeep Shikhar Language : Hindi
    If you think about terrorists and militant insurgency every time someone mentions Kashmir, you should watch Gasha, the third and final part in Abhishek Majumdar’s Kashmir trilogy (after Rizwan and Djinns of Eidgah). It will show you a softer side of this paradise on earth — the distressing plight of the locals, who’re unwitting victims of a terrible political situation.
Thankfully, this is a drama you can watch and enjoy independently, even if you haven’t watched the first two sections of the series. Written by playwright Irawati Karnik, the story revolves around Gasha (Adhir Bhat), a Kashmiri Pandit and his Muslim friend Nazir (Sandeep Shikhar). Schoolmates and childhood friends, the play showcases their lives as children in Kashmir and much later, when they meet again in the valley, this time like strangers.
Like other plays on Kashmir, this one too addresses issues that have beleaguered the land since decades. The exodus of the Pandits from the valley, and the state of the Muslims who stayed back to build a life, are sensitive issues that have been tackled. But the universal theme of interest here is friendship — Gasha and Nazir’s innocent childhood bond.
No fancy costumes or opulent sets. What dominate the stage of Gasha are a host of travel and luggage bags, of different colours and sizes. Sometimes, these even represent people! But for most of the time, they symbolise the journey of the two characters, over a span of twenty years. Despite the fact that the storyline has a serious undertone, and throws light on grim political and social scenarios, Gasha is humorous in many parts and keeps your interest, whether you belong to the indigenous Kashmiri community or not. With just two people on stage for the entire duration, you may think that the narrative must be monotonous. But both Bhat and Shikhar act out multiple characters — men, women and children — with ease. Being a Kashmiri Pandit himself, Bhat adds a personal and genuine touch to Gasha’s role, while Shikhar supports him in all his avatars. A play definitely worth its while.