Play Review: A Friend’s Story

Play: A Friend’s Story
Director: Akash Khurana
Duration: 80 minutes
Cast: Sayalee Phatak, Abhay Mahajan, Parna Pethe and others
Language: English
Rating: 3
Way back in 1981, actress Rohini Hattangadi created quite a stir when she played the lead in the controversial Vijay Tendulkar Marathi drama, Mitrachi Goshta, a homosexual love story. The thought of two people of the same sex being in a romantic relationship was a taboo 34 years ago and unfortunately, not much has changed today.Hence, its English adaptation, A Friend’s Love Story, is timeless and echoes even in modern times.
Translated by Gowri Ramnarayan, the story is set in pre-Independent India, in Pune. It starts off in a seemingly conventional fashion, where two college students, Bapu and Sumitra, become friends. Just when you think they will fall in love, enters the beautiful Nama. Sumitra is enchanted by her femininity and her feelings are reciprocated, much to Bapu’s despair, who is secretly obsessed with Sumitra. Braving all odds, the two women try to keep their relationship going, but too often, they face obstacles that test their love.
Of course, there are issues because the text has been translated from Marathi to English. Certain lines seem forced when translated. The characters break into Marathi every now and then, to bring forth the backdrop of that era, which seems unnecessary. Also, because of the limited duration, the friendship between Bapu and Sumitra isn’t developed and given a chance to bloom. So his unquestioned loyalty and sacrifice for her is hard to digest.
But keeping those snags aside, the play works because its protagonist, Sumitra, is flawed. Despite being an exasperating character, director Akash Khurana makes you sympathise with and feel for her. She is vulnerable, volatile, and her initial struggle with her sexuality is well-captured on stage, which is what makes Tendulkar’s writing so nuanced. Moreover, in this otherwise serious play, Bapu’s character provides humour, giving the audience a breather every once in a while.
A sensitive subject, go with an open mind to watch this one.