New Delhi

Acclaimed Indian theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan is back with another theatrical play titled ‘Letters of Suresh’ which explores themes of love, loss, death, search for peace and solace amid acute existential loneliness in today’s relationships. Starring Vir Hirani, the play will be staged at the NMACC in Mumbai from May 9 to 12, the first time in India. 

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Feroz Abbas Khan returns with a new play after having wowed audiences all around the globe with India’s answer to Broadway-style plays, complete with exquisite sets, well-manicured actors and their designer apparel, over-the-top choreography and a love story that is timeless in ‘Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical’. Here, Feroz Abbas Khan opens up on new play ‘Letters of Suresh’ toying with difficult emotions, riding on Mughal-e-Azam’s success amid rediscovered love for theatrical plays in a post-pandemic world. 

Here are the excerpts: 

Q: ‘Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical’ has been a crown jewel in your works of theatrical plays and now you are ready to release another. What can you tell us about Letters of Suresh? What can the audiences expect?

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A: The writing and the way this play has been crafted is very special. It evokes an experience that defies words. I think, to try and capture its essence in words would dilute its beauty. This is an emotionally devastating creation. With every play, the audience's expectations are different. For instance, when you come to watch  'Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical', you expect a visual extravaganza that is larger-than-life. But with 'Letters of Suresh', the audience will expect a very different experience. 

Mughal-e-Azam

It's a series of monologues about four people yearning for a connection. It's a very beautiful epistolary narrative where these four people are communicating with each other through letters and trying to forge a tenuous bond. This yearning is at the heart of the play. It's a very identifiable series of interconnected stories about four intertwined lives.

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Q: What role does Vir Hirani play? Does he carry his father’s stardom when working?

A: Vir Hirani portrays a crucial role in 'Letters of Suresh' and in a way, the story chose him. He was perfectly suited for the titular part as he has the requisite sensitivity and depth to essay it. His training at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), talent and dedication also made him the perfect fit for the role. He is very special. 

Q: We see a resurgence of theatrical plays today with more people tuning into these, finding new mediums, exploring the age-old art of traditional plays. Why do you think that has happened in the age of OTT?

A: Every medium has a different audience. The audience that watches OTT, has a certain mindset whereas when they are watching a movie, they have different expectations. As for theatre, when you're watching a live performance, you look for a more tangible connection with the performers.  Post-pandemic, people are savouring live performances a lot more because they have had enough of watching digital content and want to watch something that challenges their imagination and enriches their souls. They want to encounter real human beings. And that's what gives us the courage to try new things. 

Q: What does it take to be an artist to hold his own on stage vs in front of the camera?

A: To hold one's own on stage requires a different set of skills compared to performing in front of a camera. On stage, artists must command the space, project their emotions, and engage with the audience in real time. It's about presence, projection, and the ability to connect directly with the audience, whereas on camera you are more intimate, more reflective subtle and perform in small portions.

Q: After so many years of directing plays, and conceptualising them, what have you learnt on your journey of self-exploration? What do you love the most about this medium? What are some challenges you still meet with?

A: The challenges are always related to production, logistics and funding but I feel, every project has a certain destiny and finds its own way and acquires a life of its own. With  'Mughal-e-Azam-The Musical' for instance, having the film's original producers (Shapoorji Pallonji) back us was absolutely providential. 

Mughal-e-Azam

What I absolutely love about theatre is its power of imagination, quality of writing, and engagement with actors and it keeps surprising the creators, actors and audiences with its mercurial energy. As for self-exploration, every play takes me on a new and exciting journey. 

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Q: I want a comment on the exploration of emotions since the new play is about that. How well can artists emote on stage where the audience is far from the talent vs from a film or show where the camera is positioned right in your face?

A: Rajiv Joseph is a huge talent and this play is very evocative, layered and when working with such a well-crafted piece, a director must understand that they need to put the spotlight on the playwright. The point I am making is that when the director appreciates the depth and nuances of the writing, we are onto something wonderful. Then, the challenge is to ensure that the text is interpreted and performed well. This must be done by actors and they must do justice to the characters because the writer has invested such depth and delicacy in each one. 

When the actors can approximate the intention of the playwright, every member of the audience also connects with it. For a play like this, which is primarily about words and acting, it becomes critical that the actors understand the text deeply and bring it to life. Our capacity to feel emotions is much stronger than our ability to express them via our vocabulary, so a director must engage with the actors individually to understand their strengths, find ways to inspire them and clarify the text for them. That's the beauty and the best part of being a director in theatre. As far as this play is concerned, we did workshops, then the actors started rehearsing and only then did we proceed further. If the initial workshops hadn't worked, I would have dropped the play.

Q: How do you feel about the show coming to India?

A: This is a new production premiering for the first time in India with an Indian cast which includes Palomi Ghosh, Vir Hirani, Radhika Sawhney & Harssh Singh.

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