...And Life Goes On

I had bombs going off all around my house but a friend had a bomb which went off almost next to her gate! Yet, let me add that when I called her on Saturday evening asking whether she would go to see a theatre performance with me, she agreed. Actually Srijit Mukherji has written and directed a play on Feluda ( Satyajit Ray's private detective hero of many a murder mystery). I am a diehard fan of Feluda and when Feluda Pherot (Feluda Returns), got good reviews I had this urge to see it. I said to the Mr in passing "We can watch it one by one" (kids obviously are not allowed at such performances. The Mr said "aah yes " absentmindedly because he is not that crazy about you know who. Then, I guess, he saw the reviews and the venue was Rangashankara which he had wanted to visit for a long time so he said on Saturday "I'll go see it today and get tickets for you for tomorrow's show" and added "ask your friend whether she will go along". I called the friend immediately and asked her. She claimed I sounded desparate and distraut on the phone so she said yes quite quickly although she was not sure about this sudden play watching session.
The Mr came back singing praises. I was apprehensive, I (like most Bengalis) cannot see anyone other than Soumitro Chatterji (the original hero of Ray's Feluda movies) as Feluda. The role was done by Shashi Kapoor in the Hindi serial version-crazy really, Feluda is tall thin and athletic, Kapoor looked short and plump and un feluda like. Sabyasachi Chakravarty did a moderate job but still it wasn't it. Now this chap had used his imagination and placed the play when Feluda is 50+. There was another anxiety unrelated to the play, the Mr would be left with the kids alone for the first time for quite a few hours.
Well, the programme was a great hit! My friend and I enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Barun Chanda (the person who played Feluda) was good. He is an ex-Satyajit Ray hero. He has put on some weight in all these years that has done him good. The person who played Jatayu Feluda's friend was good too which was a surprise for if it is difficult to find a Felu, it is impossible to replace Shontosh Dutta as Jatayu but this guy had done it. There was good performances by all the others too and the director himself as the arch villain was superb. The downside, props were shabby, cups are not moved from the previous scene, some dialogues overlapped and Feluda loses to the villain in the end, but what the heck, it was thrilling! Rangashankara provided a friendly atmosphere. When the show was over the cast as making their appearance all together on stage, the director appealed to us to spread the word around, Topshe said "there is not much time to do that" the next and last show was an hour away. I said "why? we can always send an sms", and Barun Chanda sent a flying kiss my way! I felt like saying "..and Topshe if you come in putting on your shirt, buttons done up the wrong way and looking very cute as a result as you did in there, then I will send some friends from close by to catch the show", then I thought it would be too much. I returned happy with the flying kiss and my friend returned with a smile on her face.