'I Love Comedy… The Energy Is Something Else': Actor Sagar Deshmukh On His Latest Play 'Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala'

When you look at some of the plays Sagar Deshmukh has acted in – whether it is Chaheta or Anatomy of a Suicide, you would assume that he only likes serious characters and plays. However, the actor insists it is not the case, and in fact, comedy is one of his most favourite genres. Case in point, his latest play Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala directed by Mohit Takalkar, which is part of the latest season of Aadyam Theatre. A dramedy about connections and identity, this adaptation of Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone brings together an ensemble cast with live music and layered performances. Sagar tells us more…

Excerpts from the interview:

What is Dil Ka Hal Sune Dilwala about and what appealed to you about it?

This is a flight which we have taken from Sara Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone. In the play, the protagonist attends the ringing phone of a man who has died inside a café, and continues taking calls from people who knew him. It delves into the loneliness felt by the characters and their personal ambitions and the choices left with them. All of this is said and done in a humorous way. Bollywood songs have also been woven into the narrative. It is a linear play in terms of the story but not in terms of its presentation.

Tell us about your role.

I play the narrator in the play, who tells you exactly what is going on in the mind of the protagonist and where the story is leading. The responsibility of knitting all the points of the story is on me. I have never played a narrator on stage, which was another reason this play appealed to me. To connect every point of the story with the audience can be tricky at times because you have to find the correct ‘sur’ or note. There is also the possibility that the narrator or sutradhaar’s energy comes across as intense. We didn’t want him to sound like a very traditional sutradhaar. He is a chilled-out narrator who is telling a very modern story.

You have done some very intense plays with Mohit Takalkar. How was it to work on a slightly more light-hearted play?  

People know me as a fun-loving person who does serious plays (laughs). The truth is, I love comedy and the energy I get from a comedy play is something else. Even with this play, there is a sense of joy that stays with you long after you have left the auditorium.

You and Mohit go back a long way. You are also one of the founding members of Aasakta Kalamanch with him. What is this equation you share with him?

We know and understand each other. It is an advantage for me as he doesn’t need to explain anything to me twice. The other thing is that I never get into any kind of discussion with him about the logic of a moment or a dialogue. I trust him with the impact he intends the audience to feel. And it’s vice versa with him.

How did this association with theatre begin?

It was in 1999 that I read an ad in paper about a 22-day workshop with the Progressive Dramatic Association in Pune. I was completely mesmerised by that experience and the acting bug bit me hard. It continues to be like that. Although I have also done quite a bit of camera work now, I feel the most comfortable when I am on stage. I feel like a king! (smiles)

You are also a writer and director…

Well, I have directed one commercial Marathi play, but I don’t consider myself a director. I did it because there was nobody to direct me. I adapt plays from English to Marathi, but again, that is for my fun. I write sometimes for films but in my mind, I am more of a performer. I do these other things only because I like them.

Does the discipline of theatre help when you are facing the camera?

I sincerely believe that acting is acting. It completely depends upon your understanding of a scene and how you intend to pitch and perform it. Yes, I believe in rehearsals a lot. That helps me when I work in front of the camera. The medium is different but the thinking pattern is the same.  If you don’t have the discipline then it is a problem. You have to practice a lot, whether for stage or for films.

What next?

I am waiting for the shoot of the second season of Search: The Naina Murder Case on JioHotstar. With regards to theatre, shows of Anatomy of a Suicide are still on which will run parallel to Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala.