Raju, Ram and intolerance: A Sharman Joshi Play

By Arnab Mitra

Kolkata: Raju, Ram Aur Main, a play directed by Kedhar Shinde, with Sharman Joshi as the protagonist, was staged today at Rabindra Sadan on the fourth day of the Minerva National Drama Festival.

The comic play in Hindi portrayed the selfish and cruel human psychology and the inherent greed in human beings which overshadows the love and benevolence even among family members.

The play started with the murder of the property owner Mr Sukhnandani (Sharman Joshi) in the hands of his wife Rupa and his PA, Aniket Dalall, and went on to show how the family members conspired to claim his property in their own name.

Joshi surprised the audience with his portrayal of all three characters of Raju, Ram and Mr Sukhnandani.

It ended with an appearance of the real Mr Sukhnandani with the chorus playing, "The truth is bitter but it is hard to deny".

"The play talks about the rising intolerance within the family unit," said Sharman Joshi in an interaction with NewsGram.

Raju, Ram Aur Main struck a chord with the audience, who laughed along every comic scene. Though the light and set designs were nothing extraordinary, a robust script and Joshi's skillful acting made it an entertaining watch.