Theatre director Ashwin Gidwani’s play shows that a mistake can bring you to a crossroad, says Team Viva
The idea of the play, A Scent of a Man, struck its director Ashwin Gidwani nine years ago. “I was in Florida, at my friend’s house, and something similar happened, where an American and an Indian couple were involved. This is where the whole idea of the play came to me.” The comedy is set in contemporary Mumbai and grabs attention as it looks at relationships after marriage in a complex urban milieu with its attendant pressures, expectations and situational demands. “A Scent of a Man depicts all the negativities a couple goes through underneath the facade of love and care,” says Gidwani.
Ashwin Mushran plays the role of a husband who has a beautiful wife, Mallika, played by Suchitra Pillai. On the surface they are successful urban aspirants but are constantly engaged in a quarrelling bout. “The irony is that Mallika is a marriage counsellor. Despite that her own marriage seems to be in trouble,” says Gidwani.
Things become exciting when Ananya, played by Bhavna Pani, comes visiting. She turns out to be Ashwin’s old lover from college. Mallika, on the other hand, is unaware of the tension and awkwardness that the other two are going through while sitting in the same room. On a whim, Ashwin invites Ananya for a dinner along with her husband Partho.
Partho, a typical Bengali communist, ably portrayed by Deven Khote, is one of those dominating intellectuals who looks down on everyone, including his wife. It is only when Partho and Ananya arrive for dinner that it is revealed that he, too, had had an extra-marital affair with Mallika, who is shocked to see him at her place. The scenario becomes tense when Mallika takes a counselling session of Partho and Ananya, where Ananya gets to know about Mallika’s affair with Partho who is now attracted to boys, according to Ananya.
The story takes a serious turn when Ashwin gets to know about their relationship and both Partho and Ashwin clash with each other whereas Ananya leaves after acknowledging everything. In the end, both Ashwin and Mallika, being broad-minded urban citizens, forget about what had happened in the past and decide to move on.
“At the end of the play, we realise that there are two paths we can take, either find ways to repair our lives despite the cracks or drift apart. There’s both optimism and pessimism. The choice is ours. The play at least brings these inner questions and doubts that we trap within ourselves out in the open,” says the director.
This comes wrapped in trenchant sarcasm, sharp wit and a smart satire on the inner workings of our minds that are not at all prettifying but which can be taken care of with a big laugh. Easing us out of boxes.