The Joke’s on the House

Namastey has been directed by theatre actor KK Raina (one can see him soon in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and D-Day),and the cast comprises members of Surnay,a Mumbai-based theatre group. Well-known names include Aashish Chawla,Aditi Sharma of Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl fame,Pitobash of Shanghai and Shor fame,Ashutosh Pandit and Miya Meilzer Roy. It will premiere at Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre on June 28.

“The play is about belief and non-belief and the process of dialogue between two generations,” says Arun. In Namastey,an older generation’s religious beliefs clash with the children’s scepticism,and their traditional Indian family values are at odds with the American way of life. With comic scenes such as the son’s attempts to get his fiancee to adjust to his family’s customs peppering the two-and-a-half-hour-long play,the message is clear. “It is always better to tackle serious issues with a dose of laughter. We should not be too serious in life,” says Arun,who plays the mother,Shanti.

“The production does not take sides. Today’s generation has a different set of values which clash with that of their parents. There has to be a bridge of understanding between both sides,” says Raina,who essays the father’s role. His last performance with Ila Arun was in a Rajasthani folk adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Lady from the Sea.