When Paresh Rawal sued God

Watch Bollywood's favourite character actor make his audience remember his new play till their last breath

Watch Bollywood's favourite character actoru00a0 makeu00a0 his audience remember his new play till their last breath

Paresh Rawal, actor and National Award winner, will sue God this Sunday. In his new Hindi play Krishan V/S Kanhaiyaa, a Hindi adaptation of a Gujarati play Kanji Virudh Kanji, Rawal plans to do just that. Premiering in the city, the play presents Rawal as a street smart conman and antique dealer, who takes legal action against the almighty after an insurance company ditches him.u00a0

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"You choose a play that tempts you. I wanted to say something through this play and express sentiments and experiences that touch me. After seeing the play, the audience will be badly shaken. They will not be able to forget the play till their last breath," assures Rawal in a telephonic interview from Mumbai.

Rawal adds that good humour always brings about realisation and describes Krishan V/S Kanhaiyaa as a thought provoking comedy. A believer in God in his personal life, Rawal enacts the role of an atheist in this play that has travelled for 26,000 miles across the US staging 51 shows over 53 days. The play begins when an earthquake destroys Kishan's antique shop and the insurance company refuses to compensate him. Krishan, who is also married to a religious woman, decides that this destruction is an act of God and decides to take legal action against him.

Krishan does not hire a lawyer and instead sets out to settle the score himself. With the help of numerous light-hearted court scenes, Krishan V/S Kanhaiyaa challenges age-old beliefs and brings out a deeper meaning embedded in them. In the course of the play, we will see God come and explain to Rawal why he cannot win. Slowly, the bond between Krishan and God deepens and people around start considering him a demi-god. One fine day, Krishan dies suddenly. He meets God and pleads to be sent back to earth to help people. What happens next is for the audience to find out.

Rawal stresses that the play aims to preach nothing religious or social. Krishan V/S Kanhaiyaa, he confides has been an emotional release for him. According to him, the play not only tickles your funny bone but also makes you stop and think.

Describing theatre as his lifeline Rawal says, "Theatre is always a pure joyride. Unlike cinema, on stage the rejection or applause is instant. Live entertainment will always live on. A good play like this will never face any language barriers."

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What have been your most memorable roles?
Mahesh Ganatra in the play Khel, Sardar Patel and Babu Bhaiyya in Hera Pheri

Is Paresh Rawal as humorous in his real life?
Depends on the situation. You have to look at life with humour.

Describe Paresh Rawal
A normal human being like you and me.

If not an actor what would you have been?
If not an actor, I would have been an actor

Who are your favourite co-actors?
Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay Kumar, Akshay Khanna and Om Puri

On: February 27, 4 pm
Where: Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleshwaram
Log on to: www.indianstage.in
Call:u00a0 42064969
For: Rs 750, 1000, 2000