At the Delhi Theatre Festival 2023, Pankar Kapur astounds the audience with an outstanding performance of “Dopehri”
Pankaj Kapur performed his play “Dopehri,” a one-act reading of a novel he wrote himself, on the last day of the fourth Delhi Theatre Festival. Mr. Kapur led the performance well and performed a one-man act unlike any other to keep the audience interested.
The plot of “Dopehri” revolves on the character of Amma Bi, and while the tale has its own complexity and subtleties, after a time you practically start to identify with Amma’s personality because you feel like you know her, have seen her, and—most importantly—that you are her in some manner. Even though Pankaj Kapur’s play explores themes like loneliness, self-discovery, and identity—themes that are explored in depth rather frequently—it is his talent as an actor and a thespian that distinguishes it from other plays and puts it in a different class.
Pankaj Kapur is capable of making you cry like a baby while also making you laugh out loud. There is no doubting that he brings life to every character he reads aloud, and that alone is evidence of his status as a genuine legend.
His storytelling talent is really amazing, engrossing the audience and bringing them right into the world of his superbly written and vividly depicted characters. All of the characters that are read out will, in some way, strike a chord with you.
In the play, the use of lighting and music is crucial, and Mr. Kapur employs them well. His years of expertise come into play every time he moves across the stage, delivers a conversation, and casts a glance at the audience, allowing one to savor his absolute genius.
