Addressing extremities

 ‘Saitan’ theatre group is going to present Kashmakash, a Hindi play by Rajneesh Gautam in the national Capital this Sunday to address a not-so-sought-after love story. The theatre group was launched in 2014 to present before the audience the harsh realities of life in an extremely relatable way by Rajneesh Gautam and Namita Verma. 

Commenting on the mission of ‘Saitan’, founder Rajneesh Gautam, a doctor by profession, said, “The name of our group is ‘Saitan’, which is derived from the words Saint and Satan, and our mission is to present before the world the two extremes that exist in every person!

 Our philosophy is, that each person is their own God and Devil, and we present this though our plays, in an attempt to open the minds of our generation to the realities of those who suffer because we fail to understand and accept them”.

Speaking about the idea behind their upcoming play Kashmakash co-founder Namita Verma said, “We have conceptualized and delivered 4 plays so far, and each narrated the story from the other side, which is lesser-known and often ridiculed and ignored. Our forthcoming play explores a controversial love story and it may not go down well with everyone. 

Not because it isn’t real, but because it makes us uncomfortable, thus, it’s easier to brush under the carpet than to ponder over it.” She also feels that by showcasing the play on a platform like this, they may start a conversation about it as that is how people would eventually inch closer to accepting the realities of others around them and replace hatred with compassion and love.

While carving a niche in their professional arenas, this team of thespians is constantly sharpening their skills to show their theatrical prowess. While some are dexterous with scalpel and stethoscope, others are steadily making their mark in their respective fields - their focus remains firmly grounded in the world of art.