A woman with many talents – acting, writing, dancing, painting — made her stage debut with her memoir Drama Queen. Suchitra Krishnamoorthi spoke to Kritika Dua about trying out a new format and the response she got
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi is known as Anna from the film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. The actress made her stage debut with Drama Queen, a semi autobiographical play brimmed with humour and wit. A funny take on her story, Krishnamoorthi said that humour and wit comes naturally to her. She has a funny personality, cracks jokes in real life and the same comes across in her writing as well. Thus humour found its way into the script. Drama Queen is a one woman show written and performed by Krishnamoorthi herself and directed by Inaayat Ali. It was staged as part of the Old World Theatre Festival at India Habitat Centre.
Talking about the play, she said, “I’ve taken a few events from the book and tried to convey the emotional graph of the character. The book is part truth and part fiction and the play is a dramatised version of it.” Every performer feels nervous before going on stage, it was more difficult for her as it was a stage debut. The play opened in Mumbai last year. Recalling her first performance, she said, “I was so nervous, my legs were shaking, hands were trembling. I decided to go on stage and give my best. Also performing live gives a very different sort of high and I am glad about I ventured into it.”
She wanted to make a stage debut since a while and thought that what better way than taking anecdotes from her life and forming a script around it. However, it wasn’t an easy task to adapt a book into a play. Krishnamoorthi said, “The book is vast in timeline and scale, and to limit it into matter appropriate for a theatrical production was daunting. The bigger challenge was to show the complete emotional graph. But I somehow managed.” It took her many drafts , several months and improvisations during rehearsals to come up with the final draft.
Now the challenge was the portrayal on screen, she revealed, “On stage I looked at it as a character I am supposed to play and approached it in this direction only. I play Suchitra, the character, not myself.” She approached the character detached from her own self, that is a true mark of an actor.
The play made us see her in a different light. “I have incorporated some interesting instances from my book, the play has a scene where I go around asking all my male friends to marry me.”
Though the subject is serious and deals with complexities in her life. It was presented on stage in a tongue-and-cheek manner. The play was produced by AGP world
It also talked about her relationship with her mother. “Many women have told me that they identify with the story and share a similar relationship with their mother.” It was kind of a validation from the audience especially women that they have appreciated the flawed and honest portrayal of a modern Indian women.
Has she broken stereotypes around single mothers through it. She was quick to respond, “I don’t know If I have broken any stereotypes with this but have spoken about things which people normally don’t. They might have a desire for it but choose to stay mum.” like she has spoken about her wish to get remarried in the play. The play is a quest for emotional security and true love.
Recalling her Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa days with late director Kundan Shah, she said, “He was a daunting task master. At that time I was new and vulnerable, there were times I cried on set. It was only after the film we became friends.” He has passed away but aspects of him will stay with her. “The best part about him was his simplicity and honesty. He treated everyone equally. No matter if the person is a star or a common man, he behaved with everyone the same way. I was in touch with him till few months back. I was about to take my daughter Kaveri to have lunch with him on one of these days.”