This is an archive article published on April 17, 2009
Playtime
A prince from Planet BB88 is looking for answers to many riddles on Planet Earth. Enid Blytons Five Find-Outers and Dog are solving many mysteries during their school holidays.
Written by Alaka SahaniApril 17, 2009 01:44 AM IST
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Summertime with Prithvi packs in seven new plays for the young uns
A prince from Planet BB88 is looking for answers to many riddles on Planet Earth. Enid Blytons Five Find-Outers and Dog are solving many mysteries during their school holidays. Meanwhile,grumpy Bansode Uncle,the owner of a Mumbai chawl,is giving children a tough time by not allowing them to play. Their situation,however,is not as dire as Pi Patel,who finds himself alone in the Pacific.
These are some of the interesting characters who will be adding to the Summertime with Prithvi fun. They also happen to be characters from the seven new plays which are premiering during this two-month annual extravaganza. Its heartening that producers have shown keen interest to stage new plays for children. There were two more new plays which we couldnt fit in our schedule, says Sanjna Kapoor.
The plays premiering during Summertime are Day I Met the Prince,Sutti Butti,Labbaik!,Pi,The Mystery of the Pantomime cat,Nicky and Vicky,Barsoraam Dhadaake Se and Dadaji Kahein. Apart from these,old favourites like Almost Twelfth Night,Bed Ke Neeche Rehne Wali,Once Upon a Tiger and The Shehenshah of Azeemo will be back to entertain the young audience.
Amidst such bonhomie,the absence of good scripts for childrens play rankles. The number of plays for children has gone up. But most of them are adaptations or translations, says Javed Khan,who acts in IPTA Balmanchs Barsoraam. His play is an adaptation of Kalpana Swaminathans story. Day I Met the Prince is a theatrical adaptation of Kuo Pao Kuns story while Sutti Butti is based Sergei Milkhalkovs work. For Pi,Bijon Mondal has gone a step ahead and adapted Yann Martels Booker-winning Life of Pi.
Mondal calls the play a highly designed product. When I read it last year,the book excited me visually. Though the story is philosophical,we have made it attractive for children by using projectors and foot-tapping music, he adds. However,the reason for stringing together Blyton stories for The Mystery of the Pantomime Cat has more to do with the aim to introduce innocent fun. We wanted to look beyond the obvious, says its director Meera Khurana.
For those seeking fun beyond the Juhu hub,Prithvi Theatre is taking the plays to Karnataka Sangha and Horniman Circle Garden. Another new site for Summertime with Prithvi activities is going to be Akshara High School,Kandivili West. This will be the venues for five out of 36 workshops that Prithvi is conducting this year.
Alaka Sahani is a prominent film critic and journalist based in Mumbai. With a career spanning over two decades, she has established herself as one of India’s most authoritative voices in cinematic journalism, known for an analytical approach and insights that transcend the standard cycle of celebrity journalism.
Expertise & Accolades
In 2014, Alaka was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Film Critic. Her Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) citation specifically lauded her for "highlighting facets of cinema beyond glamour and gossip" and for her ability to delve into the contemporary relevance of iconic filmmakers. Her commitment to journalistic integrity was further recognised in 2019 with a Special Mention at the Red Ink Awards for her investigative feature, 'In Search of a Star'. Her article titled 'People Like Us', published in The Indian Express on March 27, 2022, was shortlisted for Red Ink Award, 2023.
Global Industry Leadership
Alaka’s expertise is sought after by major international and domestic film bodies:
Golden Globes: In 2025, she joined the international voting body for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
National Film Awards: She served on the prestigious jury for the 68th National Film Awards, helping select the finest contributions to Indian cinema.
Global Perspective: Her work consistently bridges the gap between commercial Bollywood A-listers and emerging independent talents, offering nuanced insights into both Indian regional cinema and international film trends.
Focus & Vision
Beyond the screen, Alaka is a dedicated observer of Mumbai’s vibrant theatre scene and the historical evolution of the moving image. Through her long-form articles and deep-dive interviews, she continues to challenge "tried-and-tested" templates, providing readers with a deep understanding of the artistic and systemic workings of the Indian and global film industry. ... Read More
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