Kiran Karmarkar, Lubna Salim and Harsh Chhaya
It has rarely happened that two celebrated writers have come together on a
common stage, but KACHCHE LAMHE is an exceptional play. Written by Javed
Siddiqi,one of our leading writers on acclaimed poet, film-maker and writer
Gulzar’s well known short story titled SEEMA. Directed by Salim Arif, it is Essay
Communications, Mumbai’s latest play. This story is part of Raavi Paar, a
collection of short stories which got Gulzar the Sahitya Akademi Award in
2003.The play also includes some poems of Gulzar.
KACHCHE LAMHE (Vulnerable Moments) is a humourous and lighthearted look
at a woman on the verge of getting restive in her life of theatre. Married to Sudhir
(Kiran Karmarkar), the director of a theatre group, Seema (Lubna Salim) finds
herself merely as a vehicle to carry characters across for an audience. The
lifestyle of this theatre couple is woven around plays and performances, of make
believe characters and their lives. While Sudhir is engrossed in his creative
pursuit, the girl in Seema pines for freedom from this bondage of borrowed
identity. Comes a pleasant intrusion in the form of T.K. (Harsh Chhaya), a
businessman and her husband’s best friend, Possessed by a quest and hunger
for life and love, she finds herself getting drawn into a new relationship. The story
is not just about hatred or love. It is about a girl’s journey from one relationship
into another. When two lovers reach a dead end in their relationship, does their
bond really break and do they forget each other entirely? These three real life
characters have to redefine their relationship in the ensuing drama of their
lives…
The play is of about 110 mnts. aprox. with an interval in between.
Kachche Lamhe
Story Gulzar
Playwright Javed Siddiqi
Producer Lubna Salim
Designed and Directed By Salim Arif
An Essay Communications, Mumbai Production
On Stage -
SUDHEER - Kiran Karmarkar
SEEMA - Lubna Salim
T.K. - Harsh Chhaya
Off Stage -
Stage Manager - Dilshad Edibam
Backstage Help - Dharmesh Ravrani
Announcements - Zeba Siddiqi
Lights Operated By - Jayesh Dhumasia
Sets Execution - Jaysukh Ravrani
Costume Designer - Farida Siddiqi
Kiran Karmarkar : Widely known as Om Agarwal in the path breaking Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, India’s longest running daily television serial with more than 1000 episodes,the recent Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Aasman and Ghar Ek Sapna, Kiran portrays the challenging role of Sudhir in this play. An actor of substance, he has earlier been on Marathi stage in plays like Kimaya Ghar and P.L.Deshpande’s Sunder Mee Honar.
Harsh Chhaya : Astitva Ek Prem Kahani’s famous Dr.Manas on television, also seen in recent Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Aasman and Ghar Ek Sapna, he essays the role of T.K. with charming flair in the play. Seen in films like Dev, Jaanasheen, Company,Ramji Londonwale and serials like Swabhiman, Tara, Hasratein ,Justuju and Daraar, Harsh Chhaya comes back to theatre in this interesting role of a man torn between his compulsions and love.
Lubna Salim : Now a very popular face as Leela bhabhi in Baa, Bahoo aur Baby serial on television besides several Advertising films, Lubna is an accomplished actress, essaying a wide range of roles on stage from a very young age in plays like Hori, Lok Katha, Aakhri Sawal & Bakri, She graduated as a major actor of substance with plays like Aazar Ka Khwab, Atmakatha, Mera Kuch Saamaan, Shyam Rang, Kharaashein, Biwi-o-Biwi, Collaborators, Peele Patton Ka Ban Kachche Lamhe akeerein, Hum-Suffer.
Lubna Salim is remembered for her roles on television in Bharat Ek Khoj, Gulzar’s Tehreer-Munshi Premchand Ki, Kadam, Daaman and much acclaimed as Jijamata in Chatrapati Shivaji. She won the Star Parivar Awards of 2007, Indian TellyAwards 2008, Gold Award 2008 and Sansui Television Award of 2008 for her role in Baa Bahu aur Baby.
She has recently done Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine episode for Sony Television.
Javed Siddiqi : Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari to Chakra, Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Raja Hindustani, Pardes, Taal, Mammo, Fiza, Zubeida, Tehzeeb , Koi Mil Gaya and Dil Mange Mor have established him as the writer for all seasons, covering the entire spectrum of Hindi Cinema ,fitting perfectly into films of differing subjects and temperaments for the last three decades. Colloquial and crisp, his dialogue has always been noteworthy for being pithy, witty and power- packed. Tumhari Amrita, Hamesha, Saalgirah, Shyam Rang, Begum Jaan Raat,Kachche Lamhe and Hum-Suffer are some of his play scripts to leave an indelible mark on stage in India and abroad. He is credited with writing a sequel in Hindustani theatre for the first time in Aapki Soniya. Kachche Lamhe is his first play on another eminent writer’s story.
Gulzar : The well known leading writer, director, lyricist -poet in films and also Urdu literature is a household name. Known as an artiste of touching sensitivity, his films like Mere Apne, Parichay Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam ,Angoor, Ijaazat&Maachis, have left an indelible mark on movie going masses. His television serial Mirza Ghalib is acknowledged as a definitive biographical sketch of Ghalib. From Mora Gora Ang Laie Ley to Kajrare- Kajrare, and recent Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, his contribution to film songs has been consistent and unique. He has given us songs to hum on all occasions even in his non film music albums like Dil Padosi Hai, Marasim and Vaada. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India besides several National and Filmfare Awards for Films, Songs, Scripts and Dialogue. He was awarded an Oscar for his song in Slumdog Millianire.A notable littérateur of Urdu and also Hindi language, he has the rare distinction of receiving the coveted Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of stories titled Raavi-Paar. A compulsive poet, the incisive pen- power of this icon of our times comes forth in the story SEEMA, which is the basis of Kachche Lamhe.
Salim Arif : An illustrious alumnus of National School of Drama, New Delhi, he has several production oriented workshops to his credit in a number of places in India. He was awarded a fellowship to work on the subject of Interaction between Traditional and contemporary Indian theatre with reference to the works of Habib Tanvir, B.V.Karanth, Ratan Thiyam and K.N.Panikker. His critically acclaimed play Aap Ki Soniya has been performed extensively in India and abroad. His path breaking Kharaashein and Ghalibnaama were showcased by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan at Lincoln Center, NY in 2004. Currently working as Head of the Production Design Department at the Whistling Woods, Mumbai, he is also on the visiting faculty of several prestigious institutions including National School of Drama, New Delhi, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, National Institute of Fashion Technology,Mumbai, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, BNA, Lucknow, and Rajasthan University Department of Drama, Jaipur. He was commissioned by Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) to do an appraisal on Costumes in Hindi Cinema titled The Essence and Fabric for Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema published in 2003. He has been a Theatre Critic for Mid-Day, New Delhi, wrote articles and reviews for Free Press Journal in Mumbai on Theatre and films and is currently a regular contributor to Hardnews, a magazine published from New Delhi since 2003. An associate director in movies like Gulzar’s Maachis, Hu Tu Tu and Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza, his important films as a designer are Ketan Mehta’s Sardar Patel,Gulzar’s Maachis & Hu-Tu-Tu, Govind Nihalani’s Takshak, Anil Sharma’s Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo and Mani Ratnam’s Guru and tele-serials like Shyam Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj,Gulzar’s Mirza Ghalib,Dr.Chandraprakash Dwedi’s Chanakya and Nirja Guleri’s Chandrakanta. His serials as director on television include Daaman and Saath Saath besides several episodes for Rishtey segment. Some important plays designed by him are Ismat Apa Ke Naam, Shyam Rang, Mrigtrishna, Jisne Lahore Nahin Vekhya and Madhyamvyayoga. Innovative in approach, exploring new contents for staging, his Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Kaifi Saab, Ghalibnaama, Kharaashein, Peele Patton Ka Ban, Dil Chahta Hai, Aapki Soniya, Shyam Rang , Agar aur Magar, Bayaane Ghalib, Rakt Kalyan, Lakeerein, Kachche Lamhe and recent HumSuffer has made him one of the most exciting and popular director on Hindi Stage in India.
Essay Communications : Essay Communications is a forum for theatre and other allied arts in Mumbai. Led by Salim Arif, the group has actors like Farooque Shaikh,Sonali Bendre,Vaishali Thakkar, Lubna Salim, Seema, Atul Kulkarni,Yashpal Sharma,Harsh Chhaya,Kiran Karmarkar,Anoop Soni and singers like Bhupinder-Mitaali, Talat Aziz, Jaswinder Singh amongst others perform in various productions so far. Ghalibnaama, a concert comprising of the letters and poems of Mirza Ghalib, Kharaashein-the scars from riots, a collage on stage of Gulzar’s writings on communal harmony, Lakeerein another show on Gulzar’s writings on Indo-Pak. Peele Patton Ka Ban a collection of three monologues and Javed Siddiqi’s Aapki Soniya, Hum Suffer& Kachche Lamhe are productions which gave this group a distinct identity as a platform for meaningful artistic presentations. Contact us at essaycommunications@gmail.com
