A riveting meditation on spaces

Spaces define lives, relations and the interplay between life and relations. The spaces that we speak of can be in terms of the distance between two individuals with respect to their individual thoughts and their understanding of each other, and spaces can also be the world that we weave around us, the world that we call our home, the world that we see our future in.

‘Spaces’ in a sense is a complex term and the play written by Noor Ali Baig and directed by Mohammed Ali Baig that was staged on World Heritage Day at Chowmahalla Palace presents coming to terms with the spaces that are so integral to what we are and what we do.

The protagonist Aziza, an artist, lives in an old Hyderabadi haveli with her mother, who single handedly brings her up, takes care of her education and the upkeep of the haveli. She believes that continuing to live in the old palace is not only eating away into their savings, but is increasingly becoming impractical with just one ageing caretaker Ramayya left. Aziza on the other hand is quite happy to be living there, proud of the heritage, happy with the memories of childhood, of her father and everything about her home including Ramayya and their maid Shehzaadi.

And even as she is ready to get engaged to her Chicago-based beau Javed, she is not ready to move from her home, her Rehmat Manzil. She would rather stay back and give all that she has enjoyed as a kid to her children. She simply loves the space and wouldn’t be able to live in closed apartments, she says. The matter becomes a bone of contention between the couple and everyone including her mother blames her for living in the past. Her mother actually says she would rather not live in the mausoleum.

Even as the space between the lovers is threatened by the difference in their opinion and preferences, Javed comes up with an idea that not only saves their love, but is also a breath of fresh air to the otherwise ready to crumble heritage building. The play struck a chord with the audience that comprised many old Hyderabadis, who see with pained hearts their beautiful city vanishing in front of their eyes helplessly, as the old heritage buildings, for want of upkeep and official apathy not helping, are given away to developers to build another edifice to adorn the concrete jungle that Hyderabad is fast becoming.

Don’t we wish all such stories ended in such an endearing manner? It was a pleasure to watch Noor Baig perform effortlessly, reel out her lines and her expressions with equal ease, taking the audience along with her into her world of love and memories. Md Ali Baig looked dapper in his Chicago-based Hyderabadi role and together they created a beautiful canvas – the stage too was very well set, and the backdrop of the resplendent Chowmahalla was indeed perfect.

Senior actors Rashmi Seth (who plays Aziza’s mother), Vijay Prasad (Ramayya), SA Majeed and Madhu Swaminath (Shehzaadi) played the supporting cast with aplomb. They have been with the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation since many years and they just floated into their characters that reflect that changing preferences of people, and fading culture and tehzeeb of the city.

Despite the few insignificant yet improvable glitches - like one wonders how Ramayya can speak such good English when Shehzaadi was given this funny accent - the many references to Telangana (probably introduced to make the play relevant to its audience) that could be toned down and the pace that was a wee bit trying, ‘Spaces’ is indeed a well executed production. And the way Noor’s short story written for Chennai was adapted to the city of Nizam’s is commendable.

By:Rajeshwari Kalyanam