City-based theatre artiste’s next: A play on ‘mindless forwarding’

The play seeks to draw parallels between the village plagued by illiteracy and the current “infodemic” in the world around, where people often circulate messages without any scrutiny. “This play is a satire; a commentary on our tendency to forward messages without thinking twice and adding anything we like with it. We are trying to highlight what can happen if a person interprets the message in the wrong way,” says Parasnis.

Produced by Theatron Entertainment and Sneha Bhave Productions, the play will make its debut on July 1 at Bharat Natya Mandir, and on July 3, at the Annabhau Sathe Sabhagruha.

Written by Gokhale and directed by Parasnis, the 90-minute play will feature more than 60 actors.

Written by Gokhale and directed by Parasnis, the 90-minute play will feature more than 60 actors. (Express Photo)

Directing such a large cast was a new experience for Parasnis. “Usually, a play has 20-25 people, but I am lucky to have the backing of 60-plus actors and a total team of 75 people, who placed their trust in me. There are challenges, but when you have a cast that is passionate and believes in the story you want to tell, their support acts as fuel for you to work more and tell a unique story,” he adds.

With the play, he wishes to bring about a change in the audience’s habits. “Nowadays, it is very easy to create rage and social discomfort because of the internet. After watching the play, if the audience starts questioning the authenticity of forwarded messages, it will be our achievement. Apart from talking about misinformation, the play also sheds light on the need to move away from traditional gender roles, and reduce gender inequality in society,” says Parasnis.

Asked if rise in OTT platforms has reduced the footfall in theatres, Parasnis says, “I agree that people now have access to quality content on OTT right on their mobiles, and going out for plays can seem like a stretch. But making a high-quality play that is visually striking was one of our priorities. For this, we have even composed songs. The background music has been composed by Amogh Inamdar. We have tried to produce such a play that people would want to come and experience.”

Although the play is in Marathi, Parasnis is positive that non-Marathi speakers will be able to enjoy it just as much. “I have tried to make it as visually strong as possible,” he added.