Body Language

In January 2012,he started the process of giving shape to his idea. “I wanted to push the envelope and discover physical articulation of ideas through movement,” he says. Many actors and dancers took part in the workshops,on and off. Around last July,the play started taking a more definite form. “Some improvisations came from the actors,while,in some cases,props demanded it,” he says. Though changes in the play are still being incorporated as and when it’s required,the script was sealed with five actors featuring in it. The play,which has two actors as double cast,has Dipna Daryanani,Scherazade Kaikobad,Anaka Kaundinya,Maanvi Gagroo,Chandana Sarma,Serena Walia and Avantika Bahl in the cast. Barring Kaikobad and Walia,the rest are trained either in Indian classical or contemporary dance forms,or in both.

Having dancers in the cast,perhaps,made it easier for Saple to let go of the conventional linear narrative. The play — which is a visual experience given the abundant use of light,costumes and props — stitches together small episodes on search for self and identity. “Since it is interpretative,the actors have brought in their own understanding to it. In most cases,it is drawn from their own experience,” the director says.

Apart from infusing his vision in this play,he has utilised his skills as a lighting designer. The play uses light to create a sense of a different kind space on stage. He,however,wants to work on music — which plays a crucial role in this production and is present throughout — after this round of shows is over. This music is still an eclectic mix of tunes and they want to come up with an absolutely new score. This is one of the reasons why Saple chooses to call Unselfed “a work in progress”. The 80-minute play had a successful opening run at Adishakti Theatre Residency,Pondicherry,last year. This was followed by shows in Chennai,Bangalore’s Rangashankara and Delhi’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav in January. On Friday,its Mumbai premiere will take place at Prithvi Theatre. This will be followed by another show on Sunday at 11 am.

Even as he gets ready to stage his directorial debut before a home audience for the first time,he is not bogged down by the thought of how many people are going to fully comprehend his “abstract work”. Saple says,“Viewers may derive their own meaning from the play and it may vary from person to person.” In July,Saple will return to stage as part of Hamlet: The Clown Prince’s cast. The play,which is directed by Rajat Kapoor and has a bunch of clowns performing Shakespeare’s tragedy,is nothing short of a “party” for him.