“I don’t have butterflies in my stomach right now… I have dragons!!!” confessed actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar moments before stepping ...
“I don’t have butterflies in my stomach right now…
I have dragons!!!” confessed actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar moments before
stepping onto the stage for the premiere of his much-awaited Hindi play Animal.
“I feel all theatre artists should have that tension. Overconfidence always
brings things down. This is one show I’ve wanted to do for a long time… and I
just hope I succeed because it is not an easy play.”
What followed was an evening that proved those
‘dragons’ were more than worth it!
The premiere of the play Animal at the Tata
Theatre, NCPA, on Saturday night unfolded into a riveting theatrical
experience, with Mahesh Manjrekar delivering a high-voltage performance that
left the audience completely enthralled. For nearly two hours, the veteran
actor held the stage, drawing the audience into an emotional journey filled
with laughter, silence, reflection and thunderous applause. Presented by AGP
World and produced by veteran theatre impresario Ashvin Gidwani, Animal is a
stark and uncompromising play written, directed and performed by Mahesh
Manjrekar.
Animal examines the slow, often invisible erosion
of the human spirit in the pursuit of ambition. At its centre is Dattu played
by Manjrekar, a young man from a small town near Pandharpur, Maharashtra, who
arrives in Mumbai chasing the promise of stardom. What begins as faith in the
city and belief in himself gradually turns into a fight for survival.
Speaking about the play, Manjrekar described it as
“a cartoonist’s take on life in the city.” “Thousands of people come to Mumbai
because they believe it is the city of dreams,” he said. “But for every person
who becomes successful here, there are countless others whose dreams shatter
and turn into nightmares. This play is a tribute to everyone who comes to
Mumbai to make a career or earn a living. It is a large-hearted city… but even
a city has its limits.”
Animal is also layered with biting commentary and
satire. Through Dattu’s journey, Manjrekar cleverly weaves in observations on
the political, financial, geopolitical and socio-cultural fabric of the
country. The narrative is peppered with pop culture references, insider jokes
about the film industry, and witty nods to life in Mumbai, all of which drew
enthusiastic reactions from the audience.
In a surprising and delightful twist, Manjrekar
also sang and danced to multiple songs during the performance.
Several well-known personalities attended the
premiere of the play, including actors Jacqueline Fernandez, Saiee Manjrekar,
Siddharth Jadhav, Anusha Dandekar and Sumedh Mudgalkar. Besides Saiee, Mahesh
Manjrekar’s daughter Gauri Inngavale and son Satya Manjrekar were also present
to cheer him on. Legendary cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar arrived with his wife
Manali, while noted homoeopath Dr. Mukesh Batra was also in attendance.
After nearly nine years of discussion and
preparation, Animal has finally arrived on stage - raw, intimate and
uncompromising. For Saiee Manjrekar, watching her father perform the play was
an emotional moment. “It was amazing,” she said. “I have been hearing about
this project all my life. It’s his dream project. To see him, at this age, put
in so much energy into a one-man show is such a proud moment for me. It’s
incredibly inspiring.”
The audience laughed heartily at moments of sharp
humour, fell silent during the play’s hard-hitting monologues, and responded
with spontaneous applause throughout the performance. By the end of the
evening, the theatre erupted into a standing ovation, with Manjrekar taking a
moment to thank his entire team. The journey of Animal continues, with the play
set to return to the stage on 29th March at the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium in
Breach Candy, Mumbai, promising another powerful evening of theatre.
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