Fourth Wall Theatre’s Parallel explores cinema, patriarchy and sibling rivalry
All things white are not milk and likewise, not all scenes unfolding behind the silver screen shine in silver. Fourth Wall Theatre is all set to stage its upcoming production — Parallel — a play that explores the tense drama between brothers Vikram and Vijay. Vikram is a scriptwriter who pitches an experimental, women-centric script to producer-director JJ and seals the deal. Meanwhile, Vijay, an upcoming actor, had approached JJ three years earlier in Kochi for a commercial action film. Stalled by COVID-19, JJ now wants to prioritise Vijay’s project over Vikram’s script. Indulge chats with Vilok V Kowsik, the co-writer, to understand more about the title, themes, the writing process behind women-centric dramas and the responsibility of presenting realistic societal representations through theatre and film.
What was the idea behind the title?
The idea of Parallel boils down to the gap that runs parallel between the life we want to have and the life we end up leading. It is also a critical appreciation of ‘Parallel Cinema.’
Take us through the genre and themes explored by the play?
There are multiple layers in the play — drama, entertainment and an underlying layer of patriarchy. Boys generally have an unspoken rule that they don’t want to end up like their fathers. However, when situations arise, it questions whether they end up becoming like their fathers or whether they stop and find their own space. Parallel becomes an introspection about how cinema is shaped today through sibling dynamics.
Were there any real-life experiences or observations that shaped the characters of Vikram, Vijay or JJ?
Definitely, they are all around us. It doesn’t necessarily have to be cinema or theatre. It could be our workplace, or anyone who is doing something from the heart and suddenly gets knocked down by the politics involved in it.
Are there any references made to real-life cinema and literature?
Some of JJ’s dialogues have direct references to women-centric films such as Ratchasi (2019) in Tamil, The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) and Ullozhukku (2024) in Malayalam and the Mardaani (2014 onwards) franchise in Hindi, along with Kuvempu’s famous novel Kanooru Heggadithi.
Take us through the music and costumes chosen?
The music is more metaphorical. There are parai sounds when Bhyra — the protagonist of Vijay’s film, enters, with a callback to music from Sholay (1975). However, with respect to Vikram’s character Ananya, the music is more intense, indicating someone who has gone through something bad in life. The sounds of insects and crickets depict the irritation between the brothers as they argue about cinema. There is beautiful carnatic music in the background when the mother’s character is discussed, alluding to her belonging to the older generation.
Parallel is a little different from your earlier productions like Skewed and Moogetu, criticising societal issues through female protagonists who were conventional damsels in distress. How do you approach writing plays on such themes and presenting them with sensitivity?
Sensitivity becomes very important in scriptwriting, especially when we depict situations involving women in such themes. At any point in time, as a male writer, I cannot fully know what women go through. Yet, the male gaze seeps into the writing. So, for such plays, we discuss and seek perspectives from female crew members.
Why do you think audiences should watch Parallel and what should they take away from it?
They must realise that despite wanting real things in life, they often end up chasing something completely fake. However, it also doesn’t tell audiences to completely shun commercial cinema. We want the audience to turn their attention towards more realistic and meaningful stories. This would increase the hope for makers of realistic cinema and small-budget films, even if it means reaching one person out of a hundred.
What’s next after the play?
Firstly, I need a lot of sleep (laughs). With Parallel, we plan to stage it across cities such as Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and maybe participate in upcoming theatre festivals as well.
INR 200 onwards. August 16, from 7 pm. Vyoma ArtSpace and Studio Theatre, JP Nagar.