Heart of a City

Boiled Beans on Toast, a play written by Girish Karnad and directed by Lillete Dubey, arrives in Delhi

A scene from the play

For six months, theatre regulars in Delhi have been hearing and reading about Boiled Beans on Toast. Playwright Girish Karnad’s latest script has been put on stage by Lillete Dubey — two reasons for the anticipation and expectations being high. The play that has matured over 15 shows across India, was staged in Delhi as part of the Old World Theatre Festival on October 18. From Mumbai, Dubey spoke about turning Karnad’s words into action.

What made you choose Boiled Beans on Toast as a script to direct?

We set up our company, Primetime Theatre, to promote Indian writing in English. I have directed a Karnad script before, Wedding Album (2008), which has completed 200 shows and is still running. I am also restless and wouldn’t like to draw a line through my body of work and discover a sameness in theme. 30 Days in September (2001) deals with child sexual abuse, while Zen Katha (2004) was about Zen Buddhism. My next is a musical about a thumri singer from the 1900s. In case of Boiled Beans on Toast, it documents the sociocultural aspects of present-day Bangalore.

What was your hook to enter the world of Boiled Beans on Toast?

I found no linear narrative, no beginning, middle and end. It is not a structured story with a normal theme of friendship or love and Girish brings his insightful and intelligent gaze into it. The characters bump into each other, talk, argue, reminisce, regret… There’s a guy who has come to the city and loves the traffic, the fumes of scooters, rickshaws and cycles. To him, all this spells progress. There’s an upper middle-class lady who complains that the flyovers are destroying the trees. Another lady is involved with an NGO and talks about her cancer hospice.

That sounds crowded.

There are sub-themes of rural aspirations, urban migration, environmental destruction and progress. These are not thrust forward. When a maid finds her upper-class employer crying because ‘another tree’ has been destroyed, she is flabbergasted. The audience may laugh along but, I hope, the underlying themes get absorbed.

How difficult was it to bring Karnad’s script on the stage?

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The script had 21 characters, some with hardly two lines, so I edited it. We had nine actors playing this. In the script, all characters speak in English but it was sounding artificial if the maids said things like ‘How awful’. I wanted the dialogues of the maids to reflect their background — they come from Tamil Nadu or the borders of Karnataka — through their accent and how they speak with incorrect prepositions. This gives their characters a regional flavour.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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