| Trust Smriti Irani to spring surprises. She has come up with a unique concept of taking an Indian stage production around the world. This production will reach out to the local talent thereby incorporating them in the play. The actors will deliver dialogues in their language. To begin with, Smriti is travelling with her production to France where she has managed to rope in French filmmaker Jean Claude Carriere and actor Gerard Depardieu for her play.
Smriti Irani says, "This concept is one of its kind and it's happening for the first time ever. My creative director Rahul Vohra has managed to speak to Oscar-winner Jean Claude Carriere who has agreed to use our show as the kick-off event at an upcoming French festival. We have also spoken to actor Gerard Depardieu for the French show. Similarly, we will have major actors from the countries that we travel to. It will be easier for us to do the show in their language and culture.
Smriti is gung-ho about taking her production around the globe. She says, "Normally the West comes to India for the collaboration but we are doing it the other way round. We are casting people from the West. We will maintain the basic story of the play, yet we will add to it so that it becomes topical in every country. We will include the various elements and flavours of each country we visit."
Talking about the range of her reach, Smriti says, "We are having performers from India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan from the subcontinent. It will be a huge platform for everyone. We have the famous Upika Chitrasena from Sri Lanka and folk singers from Pakistan and India; we will also have Indonesian dance troupes and a dance group, Pong Chollan, from Manipur, apart from actors. We will then travel from the subcontinent to various European countries roping in actors from their countries and getting them to work in their own environment and in their own language."
| | Jean Claude Carriere (l) and Gerard Depardieu | Rahul Vohra, creative director of Ugraya Entertainment, says, "This production will be taken to various countries starting from a French festival, followed by Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and later to north American and Australia. The basic element of the play will be dance, music and a very strong theatre element. We will have Indian actors according to the script and not according to the star status."
Obviously, she's feeling on top of the world. Smriti adds, "I am very proud that our production house Ugraya Entertainment is getting an international forum. This is the next step forward. Our plays like Maniben.com and Kuchh Tum Kaho Aur Kuchh hum Kahein have made their mark overseas. In the next five years, we will be tying up with various such events, we already have promoters showing a lot of faith in us." |
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