Sakhar Khallela Manus: The Sugar-Coated Black Comedy

February 22, 2017

When a powerful performer like Prashant Damle takes to the stage, you expect nothing short of sheer magic. The Marathi theatre legend does not disappoint with Sakhar Khallela Manus. Teaming up with director Chandrakant Kulkarni for the first time, the duo has staged a theatrical marvel.

Set in the Deshpande household, the play revolves around the Sakhar Khallela Manus aka Damle, his better half played by Shubhangi Gokhale and their daughter Rucha (Rucha Apte). Essentially a comic take on a diabetic patriarch, the play manages to tickle your funny bone without taking away from the seriousness of the ailment.

While Vilasrao’s mounting work-pressure and flaring temper are the things you first notice; his musical prowess and unerring comic timing soon wins you over. Gokhale perfectly essays the role of the doting yet harried wife setting the stage for a volley of animated banter between the two that is thoroughly enjoyable.

The crisp dialogue littered with humorous innuendos soon has you in splits. You can’t help but relish the moments when Damle breaks out into song. After all, the play would be a dull one without his nifty improvisations.

Upon their daughter Rucha’s entry, you watch the parents play good-cop bad-cop, the age-old parenting ploy employed in just about every Indian family. Touching upon issues like ‘how much freedom is a tad much’; this play brings to light the many emotions and innate protectiveness that bejewels a father-daughter relationship.

Breaking into this bliss is Doctor Omkar (Sankarshan Karade), Rucha’s love interest, who attempts to treat Daddy-O for his diabetes. This of course is a sneaky way to gain favour in the Deshpande household before he asks for their daughter’s hand in marriage.

The witty play continues to challenge Indian stereotypes with Rucha’s unexpected declaration of her pregnancy coupled with her desire to be an unwed mother. It appeals to your sensitivities with the endearing struggle of a sexagenarian father coming to terms with the progressive approach of his millennial daughter.

Expertly penned down by Vidhyasagar Adhyapak, the production is brought alive with power-packed performances by Prashant Damle and Shubhangi Gokhale. Though the humour is a tad exaggerated at times, it is right on the money for most.

Ending well past midnight, this play is sure to plaster a grin on your face, which is exactly what you need at the end of a tiring day.