Prithvi Theatre Festival: Gagan Dev Riar returns to the stage with ‘Sarenta'
In a new solo theatre piece, ‘Sarenta’, Gagan Dev Riar of ‘Scam 2003: The Telgi Story' fame reveals a rare vulnerability in a story, which is part fiction and part life
Gagan Dev Riar was last seen in the pivotal role of Abdul Karim Telgi in the popular series, Scam 2003. He has made a space for himself as an actor with the innate ability to imbue every character with depth of emotion. After a hiatus a year-and-a-half, he is back to the stage with new work, Sarenta, this time both as an actor and writer.
The play has been directed by Bhagyashree Tarke, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, New Delhi, who is known for her work in Atul Kumar’s Aaeen and a solo, Salma Deewani. She is also the dramaturg on the piece. Tarke and Riar’s an unlikely partnership that began at a party in 2022 where the two hit it off. They decided to work together and read a few pieces, including noted writer Nirmal Verma’s Hindi play, Dedh Inch Upar. With an inclination for original writing, Tarke began giving Riar a series of prompts to craft his own piece. She urged him to think about the incidents that have shaped him. She believes with a little nudge or two, anyone can write.
Formulaic as the approach may be, Riar wrote with a great deal of honesty. “He is a thinker. Slowly, a language began developing. More than the text, it was about his perspective," elaborates Tarke. Riar has written and adapted a few plays in the past, but this was his first attempt to draw from his life experiences. “Dedh Inch Upar tells the story of a man sitting in a bar. My father was an alcoholic, and when I began thinking about incidents around him, a central theme emerged," says Riar.
Also read: ‘Prithvi Theatre Festival’: Faezeh Jalali brings a tragic comedy to stage
Sarenta is not the average play about the evils of alcoholism. It tells the story of Sarveshwar (Sarve), a man in his forties who works as a waiter at a local bar. Years of experience of dealing with customers, and varied levels of intoxication, have given him a rare insight into people and the world around us. Sarve is an honest man. He underlines this by repeating, “I’ve never spit into a customer’s food". However, Sarve loses his job and with it, his dignity. He recalls snippets of his past, his family, his father, and his wife. He connects the dots to his tragic adulthood. On one hand, he struggles to pass the days, on the other, he keenly observes the world around him. He is angry, sad, and sometimes, amused.
Some of the incidents in the play come from Riar’s own life. But he chose to transpose them onto a character. It allowed him to view the piece with some distance. “It would not have had as much impact if I did it as Gagan. It was necessary to layer it with another character. Finding that character was the biggest challenge," says Riar.
At a run time of 60 minutes, Sarenta is a tight and entertaining performance with a lot of humour. It uses a non-linear approach with an unmissable rhythm. A comedic scene is quickly followed by one of intense sadness, and so on. Riar sings, dances, and sobs in a gut-wrenching manner. The stage is his friend and his craft and improvisational skills carry him through. Riar reveals a rare vulnerability that can only come with a story this personal. He bares his soul (and his body) while holding the audience in rapture.
Also read: ‘Manam Theatre Festival 2024’: Bringing the performing arts community closer
Tarke and he choose movement over verbose prose, and that leaves Riar playing at least half a dozen characters. At one point, he depicts a noisy marketplace scene, complete with its incongruous chatter, sounds, and visuals. In other scenes, he is the heartbroken child and a lifeless pet.
But the play isn’t here to preach. Like its name, Sarenta, a word with no meaning, points to the banality of life. “The character is constantly struggling with the futility of his actions. So much changes and yet nothing has changed," says Riar. The many joys and upheavals of Sarve are neatly rounded up with rap-like prose. The lines are catchy and profound. His life hasn’t changed, and there isn’t a revelation you will take back. And yet, you’ll leave with a lump in your throat.
Sarenta will be staged at Prithvi House in Mumbai, on 17 November, 4 pm and 6 pm.
Prachi Sibal is a Mumbai-based art and culture writer.
