Tumhari Amrita has a long way to go. Review on Tumhari Amrita

It was a long day!! I was eagerly waiting for the clock to strike five o'clock in the evening . I was leaving for the drama ''Tumhari Amrita'' which was going to be staged at the Choudayya hall.

I reached the venue half an hour before the play started, but still all the tickets had been sold out. I always believe in miracles and it did happen. A lady came at the last minute with an extra ticket, and I could enjoy the wonderful play. It is the longest running play in India. Surely it has a long way to go.

The play was originally staged in English, inspired by AR Guernsey?s love letters. The play was first staged fifteen years ago in Mumbai. The play was a huge success and later it was adapted into a Hindi Play named ''Tumhari Amrita''.

Javed Siddique has a written a touching script. It is a story of two people who hail from different backgrounds; neither could live together nor stay apart. The play starts with an invitation by Amritha's father to Zulfi Hyder Ali's father to a party to celebrate the eight birthday of his daughter amrita.

The bud of friendship, which starts in the party blossoms into a beautiful relationship, which is more than friendship. The first part of the drama revolves around their adolescence and the second part presents both the characters more matured.

It is really a feast, to watch two very polished actors working on stage together. Both Shabana and Farook are simply the best. I have seen almost all movies of Shabana , from 'Masoom' to 'The Morning Raaga'. Her expressions, body language, and delivery of dialogues; everything is impeccable. In this drama she plays the role of a girl who is always ahead of her time.

It is the she who first proposes to Zulfi. She doesn?t care for anyone in the world, she does what her will says; but still she struggles to realise her true self. She realizes the value of sacrifice when she finds herself in the same shoes of her stepmother. Unlike her, Zulfi is a practical man. He cares too much for society and prestige than for values and relationships.

He doesn?t accept her proposal because of the only reason that their religion is different. But it?s the same man, who is ready to marry her when his prestige is at stake when a journalist finds some of the letters which she had written to him. In the second half of the play political satire is well presented. After Farook read the last letter, resounding applause echoed through the whole auditorium.

The director Feroz Khan has, in moving away from conventional drama, made a bold attempt. The drama is entirely just recital of letters by the two characters to each other. The focus light was on the both actors almost throughout the play. There are no acoustic and light effects. Though the style of the drama was unusual I enjoyed it and am sure others will too.

In simple words I can say that if you are an art lover and couldn?t make it to the show then you have really missed something. Don?t leave the opportunity if you get a chance again. Again I would say, it has a long way to go.