On The Bosphorous

Maharishi created a lavish open-air set, filled with Islamic architecture8212; towers, cupolas and domes mark the skyline8212; and crowded it with dancing girls. The costumes and characters are made on a grand scale and brought to life by actors of the NSD Repertory Company. 8220;I wanted to capture the arguments without losing the spirit of Pamuk8217;s Istanbul,8221; said Maharishi, whose past plays include Einstein, Natak Ke Beech and Raja Ki Rasoi.

For Main Istanbul Hoon, Maharishi let his imagination run wild, using Pamuk and characters from his books to create a visual fantasy. A minor character from the Memoirs, Turkish historian Kochu becomes the central figure of the play. 8220;The stage allows you all sorts of liberties. Main Istanbul Hoon also breaks the time barrier by swinging from the mid-20th century to the 16th century,8221; he said. His vision holds the action together and the transitions unfold seamlessly against the background of decadent grandeur. The sizeable audience found itself hooked throughout the two hours.

Amit Pathak and Sajjad Hussain Khan take turns to play Pamuk while Kochu is enacted by Sameep Singh. 8220;One of the other innovations in the storyline is that Kochu fulfills his wish to write 12 books. In reality, he has only 11 books to his credit,8221; laughed Maharishi.

Main Istanbul Hoon is being held at IGNCA Gate number 3 till October 22. Time: 7pm.
Contact: 23385727