Oct 15 Sunday
Surnai Presents
JAMEELA BAI KALAALI
Director: K K Raina
Playwright: Mario Vargas Llosa (Adapted by Ila Arun)
Duration: 140 mins (with interval)
Time: 3.30 pm and 7:30 pm
Language: Hindi
Note: For audiences 18 and above

“Aakhir batao Jameela us raat hua kya tha?”

Cast: Ila Arun, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Rajit Kapur, Ravi Jhankal, K K Raina, and Gurmit Mitwa

Music: Ila Arun
Sound: Lateef Binni
Lighting Design: Salim Akhtar
Set Design: Prasoon Pandey
Costumes: Ila Arun
Production Control: Anjula Bedi

Synopsis

In a remote village in Rajasthan, the indomitable Jameela Bai Kalaali runs a small bar, which is frequented by a poor and dubious clientele. One night one of her regulars, Jabra, comes in with his latest conquest, the attractive and coquettish Chameli. Jameela is instantly captivated and Jabra sensing this, goads Chameli to provoke Jameela in order to amuse his friends and himself and perhaps get a free drink in the bargain.

In the course of the night, Jabra loses all his money playing dice and in order to continue playing, he ‘mortgages’ Chameli to Jameela. The two women spend the night together in a little room next to the bar. Chameli disappears that night and is not heard of again. The men in turn let loose their imagination, fantasizing about what could have happened in the run but not sure of the truth.

About Surnai

Surnai is a non-profit theatre group, which was founded in March 1982 with the objective of promoting folk arts of India and performing contemporary plays that are thought provoking and relevant to our society. The founder members include National School of Drama graduates KK Raina, Vijay Kashyap, Virendra Razdan, Ravi Hankal and Ila Arun. Surnai’s first venture “A Musical Sandstorm” with its authentic portrayal of Rajasthani folk music, dance and drama in the form of an ensemble took Mumbai by storm.