Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi

For the first time, three theatre legends- Shabana Azmi, writer Girish Karnad and director Alyque Padamsee - will come together for a play Broken Images. The Most interesting part of the play is that talented actor Shabana Azmi will be playing a double role in it. What’s even more interesting is that she is not enacting two different characters, but two facets of the same character. And with the help of theatrical technology developments, two Shabanas will be seen onthe stage at the same time.

Talking about the technical facet of the play, director Alyque said, “There are two Shabanas in the play, it is Shabana speaking to Shabana. With the aid of technology, there are two Shabanas onthe stage at the same time!” He later added that is it is his most exciting play in the past few years.

Meanwhile, the equally excited Shabana said, “The minute I finished reading the script, I said I was on… the play is so dramatic and challenging. It is a technical nightmare; I have to react to my own televised image on the screen. The image is shot as a single one hour shot, so the timing is crucial, there is no room for mistake.”

Revealing more on the play, Alyque added, “The play reveals itself as it unwinds. In that sense, it’s a complete thriller because it takes the audience on a roller coaster ride and keeps them guessing who the villain is and who the victim is till the end.”

The director also had praises for writer Girish, who has successfully bring out ‘how a woman’s heart and mind works’, despite being a man.

Raell Padamsee produces the play. Broken Images is a psychological thriller, displays two facets of a celebrity. Earlier, Arundathi Nag enacted the same play for the Kannada and Hindi versions. However, this time Shabana will do it in the English version. It will premiere on December 17.