#PicksAndPiques #EnglishHindiTheatrePlayReview #TheatreCriticJohnsonThomas #BadeMiyanDeewane Rating: * * *
Play: Bade Miyan Deewane Cast: Imran Rasheed, Muzammil Qureshi, Yasir Khan, Barkha Saxena, Harpreet Singh, Nisha Dhar, Akriti Singh, Khaleeq Chaudhary, Khushboo Atre, Varun Kumar and Nishchal Sharma, Mohd Khaleeq Director: Imran Rasheed Rating: * * * Runtime: 120 mins
Amongst the funniest and most popular Hindi Urdu romantic comedy plays to be staged in India, Rangbaaz’s ‘Bade Miyan Deewane’ directed by ace theatre exponent Imran Rasheed begins its latest re-rerun on the Indian theatre circuit in moth eaten overalls.
The production values are not up to the mark and neither are the costuming, the singing or the dancing. The entire shoddy production has a rather antiquated and decadent low-brow feel to it. And this, when its about a rich eccentric octogenarian Mir Sahab (played brilliantly by Imran Rasheed) who is used to living a luxurious and flamboyant life and already enjoying the services of two courtesans Heera (Akriti Singh) and Gulab (Nisha Dhar) . Mir gets swept off his feet by a beautiful young girl Suraiya (Khushboo Atre), daughter of his neighbour Sheikh Inayatullah(Muzammil Qureshi). Suraiya happens to be in love with Mir’s estranged son, Tabish and her father, Sheikh Saheb wants her to marry the charming young writer Shaukat(the sutradhar) who is also a well-wisher of Mir Saheb. The proceedings get further complicated by Mir Saheb’s attempt to employ Shaukat as an emissary to convince Sheikh Saheb to accede to his proposal and constant threats to cut his only son out of his will.
While this musical, based on Shaukat Thanvi's novel Budbhas appears to have adapted quite a few of its comedy set-pieces from 70’s Bollywood comedies( the ones that usually had the Rajendendranath-Mehmood duo in a comedy jugalbandi), replete with stereotypical situations and accompanied slapstick, it’s the actors who really make this comedy work. The writing has its light-weight moments and the performers make it easier to enjoy the frivolity. While Mohd Khaleeq as Chilla, Yasir Khan as Shaukat, Barkha Saxena as Sheikhani are the ones with the unenviable task of steadying this rather ridiculous set-up, it’s really Imran Rasheed’s Mir Saheb who makes a herculean effort to liven up the imagination and make this experience a jolly good ride!
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