Ila Arun opens up about her latest teleplay ‘Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan’
Veteran actor Ila Arun is currently seen in the teleplay Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan in the lead. The teleplay is a powerful narrative on the decisions taken by women influenced by societal norms. She is joined by Priyamvada Kant and Param Singh. We speak to her to know more about her role, the premise and the interesting concept of a teleplay.
Excerpts:
Please tell us about your role in Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan?
I play the central role of Rani Yashodhara (Baisaheb) who belonged to an era when women were not able to express themselves. She protects her late husband's toxic secrets from even her own son. The invisible shadows of outmoded ideas control her thinking, her way of doing things all through her life. By the time, she realises she should have spoken up, stood by the truth, it is too late and she pays a heavy price for her silence. Yashodhara's story shows what happens when false values are imposed upon women.
What made you say ‘yes’ to the role?
Well, I adapted Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan from Henrik Ibsen's 1881 play Ghosts. Reading Ibsen's works, I realised that what he wrote over 150 years back, was still relevant to the Indian milieu. I decided to turn Ghosts into a powerful play for Indian women, with a central character that could become their voice. I hail from Rajasthan and recognised in Yashodhara, the women from that milieu. I knew I could do justice to her journey.
How did you prepare for it?
As I mentioned, I saw the essence of many Rajasthani women in Yashodhara and I moulded her accordingly with a very soft, dignified, poised exterior but with a lot of inner strength. She has a lot more to her than what is visible on the surface. She is resilient even when she is broken and is reminiscent of Rajasthan's warrior queens who led sheltered lives but could go to any extent to fight if the need arose. So it was not difficult for me to invest that duality in my character.
How different is a teleplay format than an actual theatre? Are there any added challenges due to the format?
When Zee Theatre decided to bring theatre to the small screen, they were very conscious of the fact that these plays were not soap operas. They wanted to capture theatre in all its purity and present it the way a person sitting in the first row would experience it. When they first approached me, I had my apprehensions. I felt that I should not compromise the idiom of live theatre. But now, I am convinced that Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan will reach a larger audience.
Unfortunately in India, Hindi theatre in particular doesn't have a very long life. And even after repeated performances, very few people can get to see it. With plays like Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan on television many more people will have access to Hindi-language theatre and get to know more about it. As an artiste, I have worked across all mediums and it was interesting to work in a teleplay that seamlessly combines the idioms of theatre and cinema.
Upcoming works?
I have a film titled Gul Gule Bakawali directed by Raaj Ashoo and Tum Ho Toh, directed by Ravi Udyawar in the pipeline, and a biography that will be releasing in November.
Peechha Karti Parchhaiyaan is streaming on Tata Play Theatre
