Lucia director Pawan Kumar is back on stage with his play The Final Rehearsal

The solo performance reveals the true picture behind reality TV shows
Scene from The Final Rehearsal
Scene from The Final Rehearsal

It’s not rare for a critically acclaimed filmmaker to come with a background in theatre. While there have been many stalwarts in the film industry with a mass of credible theatre work, among the younger generation, there are countable names. Director Pawan Kumar is among these handful names. The filmmaker who is most well-known for his crowd-funded Kannada film Lucia, and more recently, for his film U-Turn, returns to the stage with his play The Final Rehearsal.
The play was written, directed and enacted (solo performance) by Pawan over a decade ago. Even back then, it was one of the chosen plays for Thespo Youth Theatre Festival in 2002. “It’s been almost nine-and-a-half years. Though I had written it, I think I understand it better now because of various life experiences. I have a video recording of my previous shows and now, I realise how much I have evolved as well,” says Pawan, adding, “The earlier shows were just an hour long and now I take an hour and 10 minutes. I think I spend a lot more time on the text, and the performance has gotten better. I took it up because it was like a challenge for me to see if I could perform again after so long. Also, film changes the perception of story-telling because of the camera work and so many retakes. It’s very different from theatre. The joy of live audience reactions is welcoming.”
The play, a one-man show, was written in early 2000 when reality TV shows were just catching on. Pawan had left college and wrote the script for a 20-25 minute performance. It was about how winning in a reality show mattered a lot. After it was selected for Thespo, Pawan was helped by a few theatre artistes in Mumbai and the play was extended to be a 40-minute performance. Yet, the filmmaker kept working on the script. It still deals with the same subject, of a man trying to win the ‘best actor award’ in a competition and how he prepares for it. But the play now includes elements of current reality TV shows. “In terms of content, I have made the play stronger. Now, reality shows are more real than they were a few years ago. The character has also gotten a lot more emotional.”
When Pawan wrote the play, he was about 20 years old. Even back then, he had observed how reality shows make losers feel miserable, a trend that continues till date. “I was watching one such show and observed that the guy who loses is made to feel like he has lost everything in life at that point. This element has stuck on and is implied in the play,” offers Pawan. Interestingly, though the lighting design has evolved with additions and variations of light positioning, compared to his earlier shows, the only prop, a metal chair has remained as the unchanged element. “I have had this chair ever since I performed first, way back in 2002,” says the director-actor who will use the same chair again. The play remains relevant till date with such nuances that paint a true picture of reality TV.
Rs 200. At Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar. July 23, 3.30 and 7.30 pm. Details: 26493982

ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com
@aishatax

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