Actress Lavlin Thadani talks about her play Amrita- A Sublime love story
Dr Lavlin Thadani brings to life Amrita
Pritam's character in the recently staged play Amrita - A Sublime Love Story.
In a candid interview, Lavlin talks to us about the play and about her connect
with Amrita.
The play, Amrita - A Sublime Love Story, directed by MS Sathyu of the Garam Hawa fame, was recently staged at the Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai. The 100-minute Hindustani play is based on the autobiography of Padma Vibhushan, Amrita Pritam, who lived life on her own terms but without being a confrontationist. The play is a unique tribute to an iconoclast who was a synonym for 'freedom' of an individual. Dr Lavlin Thadani, a sensitive poet, filmmaker, photographer, teacher and a social activist, brings alive Amrita Pritam's character. An actor par excellence who has played the leading lady in Sathyu's films like Sukha, Lavlin, plays the lead role opposite Tom Alter. Amrita thought highly of Lavlin's poetry and termed Lavlin as her 'Soul Mate' despite the age difference of almost four decades between them. In a candid interview Lavlin talks to us about the play and about her connect with Amrita. Excerpts...
How was it like working on the play Amrita - A Sublime Love Story.
The play, Amrita - A Sublime Love Story, directed by MS Sathyu of the Garam Hawa fame, was recently staged at the Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai. The 100-minute Hindustani play is based on the autobiography of Padma Vibhushan, Amrita Pritam, who lived life on her own terms but without being a confrontationist. The play is a unique tribute to an iconoclast who was a synonym for 'freedom' of an individual. Dr Lavlin Thadani, a sensitive poet, filmmaker, photographer, teacher and a social activist, brings alive Amrita Pritam's character. An actor par excellence who has played the leading lady in Sathyu's films like Sukha, Lavlin, plays the lead role opposite Tom Alter. Amrita thought highly of Lavlin's poetry and termed Lavlin as her 'Soul Mate' despite the age difference of almost four decades between them. In a candid interview Lavlin talks to us about the play and about her connect with Amrita. Excerpts...
How was it like working on the play Amrita - A Sublime Love Story.
It was
a great experience and a big challenge! I knew Amritaji personally and rather well for we were only 10 houses away
from each other.. She was in K-25 Hauz Khas Enclave and I was in K-36 Hauz Khas
Enclave. I got to know her as a teenager and then there was no looking back. So
playing Amrita posed a double challenge as I knew all her mannerisms n way of
talking, her expressions, and had to reproduce them to perfection. And
memorising all the monologues and poetry took effort and time. Since the play was
based on her autobiography, Raseedee Ticket, I had to remain true to every word
- many rehearsals, sleepless nights and hard work but all absolutely worth it.
You and Amrita Pritam had an age difference of around 40 years yet she referred to you as her soul mate... Tell us more about this...
Amritaji and Imrozeji lived in my neighbourhood and my association with her started when she first read my poem published in Kadambini and called me to meet her. After that there was no looking back. We became close friends despite a huge difference in our age. She always treated me not only with abundant affection but also with great respect and sensitivity. Sitting on the chair next to her bed or on her bed, we'd talk for hours about the world literature, philosophers, Sufism and Osho. Since I was a student of literature myself, I used to enjoy the fruitful discussions and deliberations with her. Sometimes hours would just tick away leaving us feeling rewarded. We also talked about personal issues discussed her writings and my poetry. In fact one day we had, very spontaneously, got into a juggalbandi in poetry which was published in my first book of poems, titled, 'Moments' (in English published by Vikas publishing) and was released jointly by Amrita Pritam and Dr Girija Vyas. I was lucky to relish lunches cooked jointly by Imrozji and Amritaji. She made the most wonderful chapatis with desi ghee dripping from them and Imrozji, the best Punjabi daal and vegetables. At their place, I was at home. More at home than anywhere else because of love, creativity and above all the deep joy that we all experienced in our togetherness! In fact Amritaji had interviewed me twice for her magazine Nagmini and published some of my poems too. I felt and continued to feel very honoured to have been appreciated by someone as great an author as her. The foreword to my latest collection of poems, 'Meri Zameen, Mera Aasmaan' (in Hindustani by Raj Kamal Publications) has been penned by Amritaji and the sketches to my poems were made by Imrozeji. I miss her greatly and yet I know she is around!
Your play has been staged in many cities across the country. How was it like there?
Yes our play has been staged three times in Delhi, twice in Gurgaon (Haryana), Indore, Patiala, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Hyderabad and now in Mumbai. Every place saw an overflowing and a fantastic response! Like in Mumbai, all three shows (at Prithvi) were totally packed and the fabulous audience gave us a standing ovation, we had a similar experience in other cities as well. But Mumbai was the best ever! It was my first show here and it was absolutely fantastic. Thanks Mumbaikars, you were a great and a very inspiring audience.
Tell us about your connect with MS Sathyu.
My contact with MS Sathyu goes back to when I had acted in his feature film as a leading lady inSookha (Hindi) opposite Anant Nag and in Bara (Kannada) again opposite Anant Nag, a leading actor of the south. I had also acted in a documentary film for Sathyu Sahib as well. And now appear as his leading lady in our much applauded play based on Amrita Pritam's life.
You and Amrita Pritam had an age difference of around 40 years yet she referred to you as her soul mate... Tell us more about this...
Amritaji and Imrozeji lived in my neighbourhood and my association with her started when she first read my poem published in Kadambini and called me to meet her. After that there was no looking back. We became close friends despite a huge difference in our age. She always treated me not only with abundant affection but also with great respect and sensitivity. Sitting on the chair next to her bed or on her bed, we'd talk for hours about the world literature, philosophers, Sufism and Osho. Since I was a student of literature myself, I used to enjoy the fruitful discussions and deliberations with her. Sometimes hours would just tick away leaving us feeling rewarded. We also talked about personal issues discussed her writings and my poetry. In fact one day we had, very spontaneously, got into a juggalbandi in poetry which was published in my first book of poems, titled, 'Moments' (in English published by Vikas publishing) and was released jointly by Amrita Pritam and Dr Girija Vyas. I was lucky to relish lunches cooked jointly by Imrozji and Amritaji. She made the most wonderful chapatis with desi ghee dripping from them and Imrozji, the best Punjabi daal and vegetables. At their place, I was at home. More at home than anywhere else because of love, creativity and above all the deep joy that we all experienced in our togetherness! In fact Amritaji had interviewed me twice for her magazine Nagmini and published some of my poems too. I felt and continued to feel very honoured to have been appreciated by someone as great an author as her. The foreword to my latest collection of poems, 'Meri Zameen, Mera Aasmaan' (in Hindustani by Raj Kamal Publications) has been penned by Amritaji and the sketches to my poems were made by Imrozeji. I miss her greatly and yet I know she is around!
Your play has been staged in many cities across the country. How was it like there?
Yes our play has been staged three times in Delhi, twice in Gurgaon (Haryana), Indore, Patiala, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Hyderabad and now in Mumbai. Every place saw an overflowing and a fantastic response! Like in Mumbai, all three shows (at Prithvi) were totally packed and the fabulous audience gave us a standing ovation, we had a similar experience in other cities as well. But Mumbai was the best ever! It was my first show here and it was absolutely fantastic. Thanks Mumbaikars, you were a great and a very inspiring audience.
Tell us about your connect with MS Sathyu.
My contact with MS Sathyu goes back to when I had acted in his feature film as a leading lady inSookha (Hindi) opposite Anant Nag and in Bara (Kannada) again opposite Anant Nag, a leading actor of the south. I had also acted in a documentary film for Sathyu Sahib as well. And now appear as his leading lady in our much applauded play based on Amrita Pritam's life.
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