A still from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tanariri Theatres’ Matsya Avatar is written by Neeraja M Rajeev in English and translated to Hindi and directed by Pranav Patadiya. Matsya Avatar, Pranav says over a call from his home in Brookefield, is a journey of an island as it faces destruction at the hands of nature. “The play explores what the people on the island strive for and how they love and dream as the inevitable inches closer.”
He and Neeraja are both from the corporate world and founded Tanariri Theatres in 2013 for the love of theatre. “Till date, we have produced and performed seven plays in Hindi and English — Naatak Shuru, Four Year Transform, Let’s Have Sex!, The Green Room, Evam Indrajit, Aisa Kehte Hain and Lights Out. “
Pranav Patadiya | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Matysa Avatar is their eighth production and first original script, says Pranav. “The play is a reimagining of the Matsya Avatar story. Neeraja has taken the story to reflect on today’s society. There is however no divine intervention in the play. Instead, the play examines the social and power structures in the society.
Matsya Avatar is a reflection on the pandemic, says Pranav. “It examines the collective suffering of the people, the restrictions on travel and movement and limited access for amenities.”
Pranav says his approach in terms of aesthetics was minimalistic be it the set design, costume or music. “We have used a lot of folk instruments and music. In terms of the theme, as the narrative is about the flood that is coming, the play depicts the theme of abundance in the first half and that of disappearance in the second. Our stage set and lights reflect this visually too. Since the play is about a natural crisis, nature also becomes a character.”
The name of the production company inspired by the Hindustani classical musician, Tansen. “He sang Raag Deepak for Akbar. It got very hot and even Tansen was burning. That is when he sought someone who could sing Raag Malhaar. Two sisters Tana and Riri, sang the raag to soothe Tansen. We named our company after sisters, Tanariri, because theatre soothes us.”
The 33-year old Neeraja says she always wanted to be a writer. “I started as a child but did not know how to construct a play. It was in 2019 that I attended a writing workshop with Abhishek Majumdar and that is when my journey as a playwright actually began.”
Neeraja M Rajeev | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Neeraja writes in English and Malayalam and Matsya Avatar is her second as a playwright. “The first was Nerkku Ner (Face to Face) which is a woman-centric play about sexual abuse. We are yet to bring it to production. Matsya Avatar was written in English, but we wanted to stage the play in Hindi as I felt it would be better in a regional language and that English may not have been apt for a concept such as this.”
The play, Neeraja says, features Divya Bajpai, Kousar Nawaz Afghan, Prateek Sultania, Prakil Singh, Vipin Naik, Devashish Singbal, Gaurav Deora, Gaurav Karmakar and Mahima Rastogi. “The line-up has changed as the original team have branched out. The new team has nine actors and seven crew.”
Matsya Avatar will be staged on May 1 at MEDAI, at 3.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets on bookmyshow
