Review: DETECTIVE NAU-DO-GYRAH Reminds Us Of Hindi Films Of 50's

When you have film director Anurag Kashyap tweeting about a play, and confessing to his millions of Twitter followers that he laughed till he cried during the performance, your interest is definitely piqued. It was with this intrigue that one approached Detective Nau Do Gyarah. And the play did all this and much more. Written by Pallav Singh and Niketan Sharma and directed by Atul Kumar, the play beautifully brings back the era of gangster films. Partly reminding of film noir, 50's Indian cinema or Charlie Chaplin style performances the play packs in quite a punch. The ply was also the opening show for the 4th edition of Aadyam's Theatre initiative and has been getting enough attention both amongst live theatre lovers as well as those who appreciate cinema of yore.

The story opens in the city of Bombay where a psychiatrist finds himself caught in a murder mystery. It is set in 40's and 50s and evokes the mood of the moment. So in this detective tale you will encounter spies, glam women, cops and everything else that goes on to make a roller coaster story.

Originally adapted from the famous English play, The 39 Steps, the writer has done a good job of seeping in the local energy in the play. The premise of the play is rather gripping. A hard working psychiatrist tired of the slow life of the small hill town of Khandala near Mumbai tries to get a taste of city life when he visits Bombay to catch a performance at Royal Opera House. In between the performance almost in a true old world cinema style shooting ensues and the psychiatrist finds himself offering help to a damsel in distress! The story now moves rather fast as there is suspense, drama, espionage and what not. What is worth mentioning is the predlude by the writer and director as well as the background jazz music that enhances each act.

The costumes are worth a mention. And if you see trench coats making a come back in Mumbai then you can perhaps attribute some of it to the stylish men in the play. Sukant Goel who plays the psychiatrist caught in a quagmire deserves attention for his nuanced performance. Anna Ador as a Russian spy is convincing. The quick scene changes and props that seamlessly blend into the story to add to the background are other key factors that make the performance worth a watch.

All in all the play keeps you glued to your seats as you play the guessing game in your mind --- enough reasons to set a few hours for this watch!

Where: Prithvi Theatre

When: Oct 4-5, 9.00 pm

Director: Atul Kumar

Writers: Pallav Singh, Niketan Sharma