Vijay Ashok Sharma brings a heartfelt father–son story to the stage with Papa Painter

Papa Painter is a very personal exploration of my relationship with my father. It came at a time when a lot of things were changing — I was growing older and living with him as a caregiver. Around that time, I also wanted to write something that I could perform as an actor. I started writing from childhood memories, without any set plan to make it about my father, but those experiences naturally took shape. Initially, it was an half-hour story that I performed a few times. The response was overwhelming, so I expanded it into a full-length show exploring how we see our fathers — first as superheroes and later as human beings. In short, Papa Painter is a love letter to our fathers.

I was born in 1991 and the story draws from my childhood. It begins in a small village, where a family migrates to a town and the son’s world changes as he grows up. The story moves from the 1990s through the 2000s to the 2020s — a 30-year journey told in 75 minutes. Bengaluru plays an important role because I spent my formative years here. It’s also a story about migration, growing up and reflecting on home and distance.

Writing itself was cathartic. The last 20–25 minutes, when the father-son interaction happens, are the most emotional. I often hear the audience sniffle or hold back tears. It’s everyone’s story — warm, funny, nostalgic and heartfelt.

After shows, many fathers have told me they now understand their sons better. One man said, “I’m going to call my father right now.” That’s what I want — for people to talk and heal and reconnect.