A comic tale of twin confusion

Directed by the National School of Drama alumnus Salim Arif, the Hindi play explores the human nature in various situations.

This updated adaptation is set in a small town of north India. The story revolves around two pairs of twins who are separated from each other and then reunite under confusing circumstances. A man and his wife have twin boys, both named Ashok (one of the idiosyncrasies of the father). 

The family also adopts another set of twins, both named Bahadur on the inane whims of the father. By a twist of fate, Ashok and Bahadur are separated from the family, leaving the parents with one child out of each pair of twins; the other Ashok and Bahadur. The estranged brothers meet when both the pairs of twins find themselves in the same city and are mistaken for each other not just by the bystanders but even by their respective spouses. 

Naturally, comparisons between the play and the movie Angoor were drawn. Although the story flows in a well connected manner with slow monologues, Chakkar Chalaaye Ghanchakkar, is done in a style that seems outdated and unchanged since the 1980’s. 

Director Salim Arif says, “It is always a huge challenge to measure up to a well-made film like Angoor, depicting two sets of twins on stage. The great thing about that film was its near perfect casting and a very good script. In case of this one, we draw strength from the fact that The Comedy of Errors was originally written for stage. It gave us the confidence of presenting this story of mistaken identity supported by Gulzar Saab, who reworked the script for the stage retaining most of the dialogue from the film.”

 All the actors in the play have portrayed their roles well. Now, being staged at the Kamani Auditorium in the national Capital, Chakkar Chalaaye Ghanchakkar, is like a film that leaves its audiences enthralled. The highlight of the play is its simplicity and the great cast of actors associated with it.