Lash't Wish theatre review: Life, death & last wishes spark a playful dance with the departed

Lash’t Wish(Comedy/Drama)★★★½Cast: Niteesh Pandey, Sruti Meher, Madhu Sudhakar, Sudipto LahiriDirector: Niteesh PandeyDuration: 90 minLanguage: HindiReview: A clever play on words — combining ‘laash’ (dead body) and ‘last’ — Lash’t Wish sets the tone for a dark comedy that is as philosophical as it is playful. Written by Dr Suryasnata Tripathy and adapted for the stage by Niteesh Pandey, the play delves into the absurdities of life and death. The story opens with Jeevan Ram, a crematorium worker, discovering an unclaimed ‘laash’ with a note listing three final wishes. What follows is an immersive journey that blurs the line between the living and the dead, as Jeevan attempts to honour the stranger’s last desires. The wishes — not to be alone in death, to hear a story, and to have someone shed “imaandari se do boond aasu” — bring together humour and poignancy in equal measure.Niteesh anchors the production with a compelling, largely solo performance that is both comedic and introspective. Engaging the audience as silent witnesses, Niteesh navigates the dialogue while slipping effortlessly between Hindi and Bhojpuri. Despite its themes of mortality, memory and loss, the play remains light on its feet, with humour arising organically through Jeevan’s interactions with the ‘dead’ body.The supporting cast lends texture to the narrative. Sruti Meher delivers a poignant monologue on youth and ageing, while Sudipto Lahiri weaves poetry into the mix. While the ending feels slightly abrupt, it leaves behind a resonant thought: in death, there is release; in life, perhaps only in letting go.Should you watch it?A thoughtful, immersive watch that lingers, despite a slightly uneven landing in the final moments.