Consenting ADULTS

Khan,who made his debut as a filmmaker with Gandhi-My Father in 2007,thought of adapting this play after he read its synopsis. Soon he called for a copy and decided to direct it. He says,“Dinner With Friends presents snapshots of a man-woman’s relationship and friendship and raises fundamental questions about marriage to which everyone can relate. It is a mirror of our contemporary modern society.” But it wasn’t an easy task to portray the stormy relationship between four individuals. Khan explains,“Marriage and divorce are universal,conventional subjects. This play depicts life as it is. It looks life-like but is theatrically very powerful. It doesn’t state what’s right or wrong and provides no easy solution. So it was difficult to do justice to such a delicately-placed play.”

Tisca Chopra,who has worked earlier with Khan in All The Best,Mahatma V/S Gandhi and Salesman Ramlal,is ecstatic about working with her mentor for the fourth time. She says,“I have worked intensely with Feroze and have been constantly training with him. When he gave me a lead role in this play, I felt it was a culmination of my dream.”

Chopra plays the role of Diya,an unsuccessful painter,who is married to Harsh (played by Vinay Jain). She hangs on to her dream of making it big as a painter that causes a lot of chaos in her life and eventually leads to divorce. She transforms from an insecure,anxious person to a strong individual after her break-up and finally liberates herself. The actress says that she could relate to her character very well. “A lot of it seeps into my life. I was an English literature topper and my family and teachers had huge expectations from me. When they came to know I wanted to become an actor,they were appalled. When I shifted to Mumbai from Delhi,I didn’t hit the right note. That’s when I questioned myself. Eventually things started working out. That part of my life helped me to relate to Diya. At times,even today I question my talent.”

To prepare herself for the role,Chopra had to take singing lessons. She changed her food habits to gain more energy that would help her sustain during the 45 days of vigorous rehearsals. But she admits it was worth the effort. “It was an exercise of my body,mind and voice. I have completely transformed as a person. From someone quiet and reserved,I have become more extroverted and spirited.”

Similarly Dinner With Friends has given a new meaning to Vinay Jain’s life. The actor,who felt that he was getting stagnated,wanted to do a role into which he could seek his teeth. “I was craving to reinvent myself and this project proved to be the perfect playing ground. I play a character who is diametrically opposite to my real-life persona. It has intense emotions and grey shades.” Jain,who has earlier worked with Khan in Mahatma V/S Gandhi and Salesman Ramlal,is all praises for the director. He says,“Feroze is an actor’s director. He channelises all the energies of the actors in the right direction. All four of us have unique personalities and grey shades but we come together to complete each other. It’s the perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of parts.”

Dinner With Friends marks the return of Perizaad Zorabian Irani to the entertainment industry after four years. The effervescent actress reveals,“Feroze had offered me this role when I got married. But I soon got pregnant and I couldn’t take it up. But he waited for me patiently. It’s a huge compliment. I’m very happy that we are finally working together for the first time.” Irani plays Maya,who is a product of a broken home,and considers her friends as her family. She goes through a multitude of emotions after her friends’ divorce raises a plethora of questions. She says,“It’s a fantastic character with lots of shades. She is vulnerable yet strong. I love the script and maturity. Everyone who is dating or married can relate to it. I could understand the angst,pain and happiness.”

This is the first time all these actors are coming together for a play. Joy Sengupta,who plays Perizaad’s husband,an upwardly-mobile man who craves to be successful,says,“All of us have known each other for many years. We share the same commitment and passion and are compatible,which was the requisite of the script.” He also admits that since all of them are married in their real lives,they delved into their own relationships to do justice to their roles. “While acting in this play,you feel as if you are looking at the mirror. The cracks in your personal life become bigger and you dig deep to introspect yourself and relate to your respective characters. You live for your role but eventually become a more evolved and sensitive individual,” he smiles.

Dinner With Friends premiered at the National Centre for Performing Arts,Mumbai on October 30.

rinky.kumar@expressindia.com,