''Living Room'' or ''The Living Room'', is a 2015 Indian play written and directed by actress and playwright
Kalki Koechlin
Kalki Koechlin (; born 10 January 1984) is a French actress and writer who works in Hindi films. Known for her unconventional body of work, she is the recipient of such accolades as a National Film Award, a Filmfare Award, and two Screen Awar ...
, which premiered at Ranga Shankara Hall,
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
, in July 2015. The play that marked the directorial debut of Koechlin, stars
Neil Bhoopalam
Neil Bhoopalam is an Indian television, stage, and film actor. He is known for his roles in films such as ''No One Killed Jessica'', ''Shaitan'', '' NH10'', ''Lust Stories'', ''Ungli'' and the Indian TV series '' 24''.
Career
Bhoopalam start ...
and
Sheeba Chaddha
Sheeba Chaddha is an Indian film, stage and television actress.
Early life and career
Chaddha grew up in Delhi, where she developed interest in theatre and started taking theatre workshops. She majored in English literature from Hans Raj Colle ...
in lead roles with
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
and Tariq Vasudeva playing supporting roles. The play opened to positive response from critics.
Plot
The play opens with Death personified as a man (
Neil Bhoopalam
Neil Bhoopalam is an Indian television, stage, and film actor. He is known for his roles in films such as ''No One Killed Jessica'', ''Shaitan'', '' NH10'', ''Lust Stories'', ''Ungli'' and the Indian TV series '' 24''.
Career
Bhoopalam start ...
), standing in a living room nearby Mrs Anna Nil (
Sheeba Chaddha
Sheeba Chaddha is an Indian film, stage and television actress.
Early life and career
Chaddha grew up in Delhi, where she developed interest in theatre and started taking theatre workshops. She majored in English literature from Hans Raj Colle ...
), an elderly woman who is asleep, to wake up and discover that death is nearing her. Also present in her room are her Grandson, (
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
), and a whiny and complaining Doctor (Tariq Vasudeva) who later transforms into a hub of the tale. The play follows conversations between the characters that carry humour and several underlying messages on life and death.
Cast
*
Neil Bhoopalam
Neil Bhoopalam is an Indian television, stage, and film actor. He is known for his roles in films such as ''No One Killed Jessica'', ''Shaitan'', '' NH10'', ''Lust Stories'', ''Ungli'' and the Indian TV series '' 24''.
Career
Bhoopalam start ...
as Death
*
Sheeba Chaddha
Sheeba Chaddha is an Indian film, stage and television actress.
Early life and career
Chaddha grew up in Delhi, where she developed interest in theatre and started taking theatre workshops. She majored in English literature from Hans Raj Colle ...
as Mrs Anna Nil, an old woman on her deathbed
*
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
as Nil's Grandson
*Tariq Vasudeva as a Doctor
Production
![Kalki Koechlin at a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Press Conference](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Kalki_Koechlin_at_a_Zindagi_Na_Milegi_Dobara_Press_Conference.jpg)
The play marked the directorial debut of actress and screenwriter
Kalki Koechlin
Kalki Koechlin (; born 10 January 1984) is a French actress and writer who works in Hindi films. Known for her unconventional body of work, she is the recipient of such accolades as a National Film Award, a Filmfare Award, and two Screen Awar ...
, who had previously written and acted in several stage productions in India. Development of the play began in 2014, when Koechlin wrote a four-page conversation between Death and an old woman who is in a strange surreal space, about to die but unwilling to exit the world. She further worked on the script of the play in 2015. In an interview with ''
Mumbai Mirror
The ''Mumbai Mirror'' is an Indian English-language newspaper published in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched in 2005 as a compact daily newspaper, its coverage focuses on city specific local news and civic issues concerning education, healthcare an ...
'' she said, "Last year, when I was unemployed for six months, I started fleshing out the story. It turned into a comedy on life and death".
The play stars
Neil Bhoopalam
Neil Bhoopalam is an Indian television, stage, and film actor. He is known for his roles in films such as ''No One Killed Jessica'', ''Shaitan'', '' NH10'', ''Lust Stories'', ''Ungli'' and the Indian TV series '' 24''.
Career
Bhoopalam start ...
as the incarnation of Death,
Sheeba Chaddha
Sheeba Chaddha is an Indian film, stage and television actress.
Early life and career
Chaddha grew up in Delhi, where she developed interest in theatre and started taking theatre workshops. She majored in English literature from Hans Raj Colle ...
as the protagonist Mrs Anna Nil, an old woman who is on her deathbed and confronts Death.
Jim Sarbh
Jim Sarbh (born 27 August 1987) is an Indian film and stage actor. Best known for his supporting work in the Hindi films, he is the recipient of a Screen Award, an International Indian Film Academy Award and two Filmfare Award nominations. Addi ...
and Tariq Vasudeva play supporting roles of Nil's grandson and a doctor in the play. On the casting process Koechlin said, "There's no role for me. I can't play an old woman, can I? So I just went to my ideal cast and fortunately for me,
..gave me the nod after a reading."
Release
Koechlin shared the poster of ''Living Room'' on Twitter writing, "Here it is! The poster for our opening show! @bombayfilmfactory". The play screened at the Ranga Shankara Hall,
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
, on 24 July 2015.
The play opened to international audiences at the
Old World Theatre Festival
The India Habitat Centre is a multipurpose building in the city of New Delhi, India. It was the brain child of the HuDCO Chairman, Santosh Sharma.
The India Habitat Centre is one of India's most comprehensive convention centers that is aimed at ...
on 10 October 2015 it the Stein Auditorium,
India Habitat Centre
The India Habitat Centre is a multipurpose building in the city of New Delhi, India. It was the brain child of the HuDCO Chairman, Santosh Sharma.
The India Habitat Centre is one of India's most comprehensive convention centers that is aimed at ...
,
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
.
The play premiered at the opening of the theatre festival.
Reception
The play opened to positive reviews from the critics.
References
{{reflist, colwidth=30em
2015 plays
Indian plays
English-language plays