If you are the kinds who loves a story with twists and turns, one that springs surprises at every corner, then the Marathi play Master Mind is something you shouldn’t miss. It is play full of histrionics, drama, suspense, emotion, and action.
To tell the story in short, without divulging the suspense elements, it is about a man and a woman thrown into a situation where they realise that they have a common enemy. Rashmi has a bad, abusive marriage and Pravin/Rishabh has a score to settle. They have been vicitimised by the same man – Shantanu. While they hatch a plot to kill him, they divulge some personal details…
The play based on the concept/story by Prakash Bordvekar, is adapted to the current theatrical format by Suresh Jairam. Staged on the set of a living room of a dilapidated bungalow in Madh Island, Mumbai, this mystery keeps you engaged throughout. While one can say that the script could have been a little crisper and the play shorter by seven to ten minutes, you cannot deny the impact the cleverly woven incidents have on you as an audience. The final shocker really hits you.
The credit goes to the artists Astaad Kale and Aditi Sarangdhar for bringing the characters alive and the director Vijay Kenkre for bringing out the best in them. Pradeep Mulye’s set design is utilised to the fullest by the director Vijay Kenkre. The characters move across the lengths and breadths of the set with ease and swiftness.
A still from the play Master Mind |
Directing and acting is kind of difficult when it involves only two characters. You have, so to speak, a limited canvas to paint. But these three have conquered all snags that the script offered unassumingly and artistically.
Aditi Sarangdhar has a fantastic body language. She uses varied movements and involves quite a few property elements on the sets to showcase the nervousness of Rashmi. Her transformation in the end stuns you. Astaad Kale is a perfect match in histrionics as Rishabh and sings so well that one almost wishes that he finishes the song… His suave play and use of eyes (which, despite being on stage, is visible) is impressive and reminds of late actor Vikram Gokhale’s play of eyes. He is totally at ease on stage and moves around effortlessly. Both have worked out small interactive spaces in the script to score a point with the audience.
Hats off to producer Ajay Vichare for pulling off this tricky production so successfully. Ashok Patki’s music and Sheetal Talpade’s lights enhance the production quality of the play. The music, especially, adds to the mysterious mien.
