Theatre review: The Siddhus Of Upper Juhu

Play:The Siddhus Of Upper JuhuDirector: Rahul da CunhaDuration: 100 minutesCast: Rajit Kapur, Shernaz Patel and others Language: English Rating: 4 stars
Finally, there comes a play that doesn’t portray Mumbai as an inviting, city of hopes and dreams! Because let’s face it, if you’ve lived here all your life, no matter how much of a true blue Mumbaikar you are and love the city, you know that it has its flaws and short comings. And that it can be a crazy place to survive in.
That’s what director Rahul da Cunha’s newest play The Siddhus Of Upper Juhu is all about. Balvinder aka Bubbles Siddhu (Rajit Kapur), an ageing financial executive, and his Parsi wife, Behroze (Shernaz Patel) are a typical urban couple, who live in a tower building in the suburbs. But in spite of living in a fancy locality and having spent all their life earnings to buy this apartment, it is hardly the home they always dreamed of. The walls are paper thin and crumbling, the neighbours are annoying, the plumbing is a mess, the howling of stray dogs outside awakens them at midnight etc. Just when they think things can’t get any worse, the Siddhus are burgled and Bubbles is sacked from his job. Eventually, this city life takes a toll on him and he has a nervous breakdown!
It sounds like a depressing plot, but the play is not morose. The problems and issues addressed in this satire are realistic and will instantly strike a chord with urban audiences. You may even react to it like the characters do. The first half of the play is very funny with some stellar dialogues and antics by Kapur. The second part is more subdued.
Kapur is constantly angry, irritated and hardly a charming protagonist, but he plays his part so well, that you feel for him and his tribulations are simply too real and relatable. Patel as the submissive wife is adorable and thankfully, isn’t shrieky or loud. The two actors along with the director once again form a trio that has delivered another good play.