Find truth, timing, and tenderness in this version of The Sunshine Boys in Hyderabad

There’s a reason Neil Simon’s 1972 play, The Sunshine Boys has endured across generations — it thrives in the fragile space between laughter and longing. As it makes its way to Hyderabad, director Pranava Singhal shares that he was drawn to the play’s duality — “a laugh riot” with deeply human undercurrents. Universal themes like fading stardom and fame, aging, and remnant jagged edges of past relationships form the core of the story. “The process in production was to keep the laughter unadulterated, and bring out the underlying pathos in every subtle pauses and expressions,” he says.

Hyderabad welcomes The Sunshine Boys — a timeless comedy with heartfelt depth

For Poonam Golechha, who plays Katie, building the character written by Neil Simon meant looking beyond the script. “It’s very important to read between the lines and try to understand the emotions,” she says, relying on observation to shape everything from voice to movement. And while the play delivers humour in abundance, she hopes audiences see more. “Human emotions are very real. I hope the viewers look beyond the comic element.”

That emotional depth rests heavily on precision. Playing Willy Clark, Ranjan Ranganathan notes the physical challenge of embodying age while maintaining comic rhythm. “Body and language have to be synchronised with the timing and the tension,” he explains, calling it the toughest part of rehearsal.For Jayant Dwarkanath, who plays Al Lewis, comedy is built on trust. “It is never an individual act. It is always two people being comical together,” he says, emphasising the delicate exchange between actors that keeps the humour alive

Even smaller roles carry weight. Armin Panjwani, who plays the Hot Nurse, admits, “Even though characters like this can be quite stereotypical, they are really crucial to the flow of the play,” while Charanjit Saluja — playing the Patient — adds that collaboration helps uncover new layers, as they “bounce ideas of each other.”

Together, the cast ensures that while the audience comes for the laughs, they leave with something far more lasting — recognition.

Tickets start at ₹400. February 20 & 21, 7.30 pm.

At Ashiana Banquet and Conference, Banjara Hills.

Email: isha.p@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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