The return of Kabuliwala

The cult character created by Rabindranath Tagore and immortalised by Balraj Sahni makes a stage appearance today

Today, one the most iconic characters from Indian literature and cinema will come alive on stage. The Indian People's Theatre Association's (IPTA) Ramesh Talwar will stage Kabuliwala, an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's short story by the same name, which in turn also inspired the Balraj Sahni-starring classic.


Actors rehearse a scene from the play

Talwar decided to work on the play when Rinki Roy Bhattacharya, Bimal Roy's (who had produced the 1961 classic) daughter, suggested they adapt Kabuliwala for the stage since this year also happens to be Tagore's 150th birth centenary. Moreover, Talwar, who had worked as a child actor with Sahni back in 1959, remembered that the actor had staged a couple of shows of Kabuliwala before the film was released.

"Kabuliwala was performed at Balrajji's daughter's school where he first saw it. A professor at the school had adapted the play and Balrajji had liked it a lot. So, he worked with the same script but the play did not have a long run," recalls Talwar.

The play is based on Tagore's short story, which was the basis for the film. Talwar draws inspiration from the screenplay, as well. "In the film, the young girl, who is portrayed as a chatterbox, has too many dialogues. But to expect an eight year-old to remember so many dialogues for a play is impossible," explains Talwar, adding that the children's play is about an hour long.

Bhattacharya has granted the group permission to use the film's songs, so the play will include the chirpy Kabuliwala Aaya and the haunting melody of Ganga Aaye Kahan Se and Aye Mere Pyaare Vatan. Apart from the play, IPTA is also working on another play, which is a take off on the same short story. Pakistani writer Zaheeda Hina's Kabuliwala Laut Aaya is based on present-day Afghanistan where her protagonist works as a doctor. Kabuliwala Laut Aaya, which will see actress Tanvi Azmi return to stage after a long time, will premiere on May 7 at NCPA's Hindi Theatre Festival, Ananda.

In the contemporary version of the story, the young girl from Tagore's story is the doctor's grandmother and the play is based on the correspondence between the two. "The material is very dark and moving. In the new version, the large-hearted Kabuliwala from the beginning of the 20th century is juxtaposed against Afghanistan and the Taliban of the 21st century," shares Talwar.

At: 8 pm, Horniman Circle Garden, opposite Asiatic Library, Fort