Mumbai, Aug 17 (IANS) Actor Gajraj Rao heaped praise on Vinay Pathak for his performance in Rajat Kapoor’s theatrical interpretation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Sharing his experience on social media, Rao described the production as a remarkable theatrical treat and compared Pathak’s performance to watching Sachin Tendulkar score a century in a Test match. The ‘Badhaai Ho’ actor revealed that King Lear was his second consecutive night of watching Shakespeare on stage. While admitting that he does not have the “brains” to understand Shakespeare in his original form, the actor said he feels fortunate to witness Indianized interpretations of the playwright’s works.
Talking about Rajat Kapoor’s King Lear, Rao described it as an interpretation performed in English and gibberish, told through the story of an aging clown, a loving father separated from his daughter, and a man struggling to remain relevant in a world that appears to be moving on without him.
Gajraj Rao wrote, “Yesterday was my second consecutive night of watching Shakespeare on stage. I don’t have the brains to understand William bhai in his original form, so I feel lucky to witness such wonderfully Indianised interpretations of his work. Day before yesterday, Amitosh Nagpal’s R&J was a warm, funny, musical take in Hindustani. And yesterday, it was Rajat Kapoor’s interpretation of King Lear — performed in English and gibberish — told through the story of an ageing clown, a doting father missing his estranged daughter, and his desperate urge to remain relevant in a world that seems to be moving on without him.
“Vinay Pathak as the clown is extraordinary. From the moment he puts his foot on stage, he owns the space. The control, precision and mastery over his craft are astonishing. Watching him was like watching Tendulkar score a century in a Test match — effortless, assured, completely in control. Not a single dull moment. Not a single fumble. A full-house audience at Prithvi Theatre was literally hypnotised by Vinay’s craft. Salute to Rajat and his entire team for this wonderful theatrical treat. A special mention for the light designer — the lighting beautifully became a character in itself.”
Rao’s post comes as appreciation of contemporary Indian theatre’s efforts to reinterpret Shakespeare’s celebrated works for Indian audiences.
–IANS
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