The man who raised the bar in alternative Gujarati theatre - Hindustan Times
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The man who raised the bar in alternative Gujarati theatre

Mumbai | BySanskrita Bharadwaj
Mar 12, 2020 04:15 PM IST

On the occasion of Gadhia’s 68th birth anniversary, to celebrate his love for theatre, an event titled Celebrating Gadhia, is being organised at Prithvi Theatre.

One of the popular names in Gujarati theatre space was Manhar Gadhia, who was known for his work in commercial and experimental Gujarati plays. Gadhia, a prolific producer, passed away in November last year, leaving a legacy of culture behind him. Now, on the occasion of his 68th birth anniversary on March 10, to celebrate his love for theatre, an event titled Celebrating Gadhia, is being organised at Prithvi Theatre.

Manhar Gadhia
Manhar Gadhia

The event will host the third season of Saat Teri Ekvees, along with a few best monologues from season one and two. The series, Saat Teri Ekvees was produced by Gadhia and are seven monologues exploring desires of survival, intimacy, being oneself, overcoming difficulties, love, and appreciation.

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While some stories may evoke heartwarming smiles, others may evoke a soul-searching silence. Actor Darshan Jariwala, who was associated with the first instalment of Saat Teri Ekvees, says, “It was a one-of-a-kind production that got together seven writers, seven directors, and seven actors in a monologue format for the first time.”

Reminiscing about Gadhia, Darshan says, “Manhar’s passion for meaningful theatre was at times foolhardy, at times a slap in the face of naysayers, but was always, unquestionably, genuine. And till his last breath, he pursued it with total belief.”

In a career spanning over three decades, Gadhia, who was famous for spotting new talent, produced plays in Hindi, Gujarati and English, that went on to become extremely popular. His daughter Kajal Gadhia, who is now carrying the same passion and love for theatre as her father, says, “His madness for theatre was unmatchable and infectious. I hope our generation is able to take his madness ahead.”

Popular television and theatre actor, Krutika Desai, who is also performing her monologue, says, “It is wonderful being a part of this production because the concept is extremely unique, especially in Gujarati theatre. Nobody has done this before and only someone like a Manhar Gadhia would have the guts to do it and promote it. In the past years, it was very well-received and people enjoyed it a lot. They’re all different subjects and are entertaining as well as thought provoking. My monologue is something on the lines of selling your soul to the devil. It’s about giving up your morals for monetary gains, and that is something that will always be relevant.”

Another unique aspect of the third instalment of Saat Teri Ekvees is that all the seven monologues have been performed by women. Pratik Gandhi, who has acted in season one and two of the production, and directed the third instalment. He says, “I was a part of the play as an actor, and I’m blessed that Manhar Ghadia asked me to direct season three. He pushed me to do it. I still remember his words, he said, ‘Enough of you acting on stage, you have proved yourself there. It’s time you take on a bigger challenge and become a director’. It was his conviction that pushed me to take it up. His passion for good, experimental theatre and unearthing new talent was an inspiration to us.”

More Info

What: Celebrating Gadhia

Where: Prithvi Theatre, Bandra (W)

When: March 10, at 6pm and 9pm; March 11, at 6pm and 9pm.

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