A scene from Dekh Behen
In Bollywood, Shikha Talsania is best known as Ranbir Kapoor’s friend in Wake Up Sid. On stage, she gave a critically acclaimed turn as a young bride in Purva Naresh’s Ladies Sangeet. A wedding brings Talsania to the stage once again, this time as co-director of a bittersweet comedy, titled Dekh Behen, which opened in Mumbai on February 1 and comes to Delhi on March 23. A conversation with Talsania.
Everywoman’s Tale: This script was already in the process of getting made when it came to us from Akarsh Khurana of Akvarious, our producer. It’s about real women talking about real things. The characters were women that I know and have grown up with.
Looking back and forth: The play is about a big, fat Delhi wedding and everybody in getting ready for the performances and dances. The conversations lead back to topics such as ‘Why? Why are we doing this?’ The five bridesmaids talk about life, men, marriage. Among them are three childhood best friends whom life has taken in different directions. Then, there is a sister relationship which was very interesting to me.
Shikha Talsania
Girls’ Night Out: The cast and crew are women but the play doesn’t talk about gender equality as such. It is about the lives, stories and beliefs of the protagonists.
Getting Set: A Chhatarpur farmhouse is the venue for the wedding, but the action unfolds entirely in a bedroom. This enables us to be able to stage the play in any type of space.
Crazy Capital: My co-director Prerna Chawla is from Delhi. I learned a lot about Chhatarpur weddings while doing the play. I didn’t know people go crazy about the catering. They have one counter with chefs from Lucknow, and another for Continental food and so forth. I didn’t know it was this elaborate in Delhi.
Comparison with Ladies Sangeet: The setting of Dekh Behen is a sangeet, which is one similarity. I have been a part of Ladies Sangeet and I can say the two plays are not at all similar.
Dekh Behen will be staged at Oddbird Theatre on March 23 and 24 at 7.30 pm and March 25 at 6.30 pm.