Celebrated theatrist Sandeep Shikar is set to showcase his talent yet again through his play Deluxe Hair Cutting Salon. Set in a North Indian town, the story revolves around a hair cutting salon run by Bachchan, the protagonist. “The play juxtaposes the lives of the village people with those representing the socalled white collared jobs,” opens Sandeep. Shifting between reality and dreams, the play explores how opposite behaviours and actions could just be two sides of the same coin.
“I borrowed heavily from real life and took inspiration from Dhanbad, a mining township in Jharkhand from where I hail,” he adds, being both the writer and director. The story, inspired by people who he knew personally, has been spun with a little twist of his own. With the script written almost 14 years ago, the play has been directed by changing conversations to make it contemporary without changing the core context of the story. “In one way, this play is in a linear form but I have experimented with absurd theatre a lot in it,” Sandeep explains. Aiming to make the story resonate with the audience, he has curated the storyline to be one following the day-to-day life of the village people. These daily encounters result in Bachchan dreaming of a courtroom drama involving the characters from the neighbourhood, leading to revelations about their life
With the Deluxe Hair Cutting Salon being the central location, the Jai Ambe Motors, a scooter repair shop, being on one side and Das Pathological Clinic being on the other side — the characters of the play are introduced as they walk into the shop everyday to exchange news, gossip and discuss daily problems. Being a play which balances humour, drama and daily life, with maximised use of the urban and rural soundscape and lighting to complement the storyline, it has a universal appeal making the audience connect with each incident.
INR 400. May 10 & 11, 3.30 pm & 7.30 pm. At Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield.
Written by: Rewaa Mohanraj
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