First things first! Nikhila, if this entry surfaces anytime you search for Five Point Someone, please don't send the link to everyone.

It's been It's been well over half a year since I wrote anything, and I think it's time I open my jabber again!

The last few months have been crazy! Although life has been very very rich in experiences, let me talk about a play I did - Five Point Someone!

Five Point Someone for me began as a reading in IIT long back. Nikhila (the director) had come to IIT to do a reading, a sort of audition (we were told) for a new play she was directing. It was the second play I would have been doing, the first one in Madras, if I got through!
I must admit, I was initially very sceptical about the play. The book, in my opinion, is not much of literature. Yes, I do agree that it is enjoyable as a 'read it once' novel, but somehow I was of the strong belief that it's something that will have the same life of a Hindi song - shines brght and then slowly fades away.
When we did get to reading the play, my opinion did change. Nikhila, I felt, had done quite a nice job with the story. She had managed to cut out the parts where the story drags, but had remained very faithful to the story. The reading was fun, and me being quite a newcomer to the world of theater, didn't reckon I had much chance of bagging a role. I did make a mental note of the fact that there were too many scene changes, but I didn't really bring it up. I left, having enjoyed a reading, and hoping to God that I'll get a role!
Well, I've learnt in physics that it takes a long time for information to be sent (nothing can go faster than light, and when you are sending messages to heaven, even light can take years at times!). Physics aside, the point was that I did not get the role.

I wasn't heartbroken. Not one bit! Kanchana Sita (pic of Iswar, Boopathy and me) happened a few months later, and I was quite absorbed in the play. It was my first play in Madras, and Five Point Someone wasn't really on my mind. We did hear about the fantastic reviews it was getting, and how it was filling up auditoriums to the point where seats were breaking! But, on the whole, Five Point Someone was just another play.

Then, it happened. I don't know how, or why (and I don't remember when!), but I got a call from Nikhila one day. It was strange. I honestly believed she had forgotten me. I'm not the kind of person who makes much of an impression. I much prefer being in the background, doing my thing and hoping to do it good enough to let my work do the talking.
So, she called and she told me that the guy doing the role was leaving and she wanted me to come in for a reading. Now, I was excited! The prospect off going on stage once more was too tempting. And, adding to that was the opportunity to do the play in different cities. I was really excited! This was going to be a great experience. I just felt it! So, I read with Nikhila, read with the cast - Sarvesh, Praveen and Uttara, and hoped that I was good enough to make the cut!

I was working in Hardwar most summer and one day, a mail from Nikhila landed in my inbox! The mail was titled - "Confirmation...."! I was bloody beyond happy! I did a little jig in the little cubicle ITC had so kindly given us! I guess Arvind and Siddharth had no clue what I was going through, but I'm sure Ipshita did!
(that's the pic of us four Hardwaris!)

I got back, and spent only six days at home. My parents weren't happy. I had barely been home that year and they frowned upon the idea of letting me return to Chennai a fortnight before my college began. But, I went anyway. The first weekend went in me being an understudy to the guy whose role I was to step in to. I don't like the name they pin on it - understudy, but what the hell, what's in a name, eh?

Then, came the first show in Hyderabad! It was for the Hyderabad leg of the (now) famous - Hindu MetroPlus Theater Festival! It was a prestigious event! We had been selected amongst many plays. As Ram told us, ours was the only play not to have performed at a festival before, and the fact that The Hindu chose us was a matter of great pride.
Also, we were to perform the day after Rajat Kapoor did Love Letters. Now, Love Letters is a play that has received the kind of success that we can only dream about! The number of shows they have done has been mind-boggling, and if this is not an indicator of its class, then nothing is! And, we were to follow them! Hindu had not really helped us there, and I (personally) was very scared of making a fool of myself and embarrassing the whole cast on stage!

Rehearsals were quite painful at the start. It's really frustrating stepping into someone's role. The amount of freedom, opportunity to explore a character is all very curtailed. It does feel kind of stifling, suffocating at times, but credit to Nikhila. She handled the situation really well, and helped me get over this initial starting problems! Rehearsals soon picked up pace. I was working everyday with Nikhila, desperately trying to get my lines right and my moves right. It was exhausting, but the fear of making a hash of it on stage was just too much, and I would leave rehearsal every day hoping we'd put in one more hour. What's funny is that, six shows down the line, I still feel the same way! I hope the feeling never goes!

Thanks everyone! It's been a priviledge working with all of you - (from left to right in pic) Shankar, Ram, Uttara, Praveen, Sarvesh, Vidyuth, Anshu, Srinath, Nikhila, Madhu and Darshana.
(pic alongside has all but Nikhila, Madhhu and Darshana.. if anyone of you does have one with them, please send it to me.. Will upload it asap.)

Let me tell you about Sarvesh (see pic). As an actor, he's head and shoulders above me. Considering he's one guy who everyone wants to cast in their play, I'm certain noone would disagree. But, what I feel makes him amazing is his dedication. There has never been a rehearsal where he hasn't given his 100%. He might play the fool a tad too often, but his dedication and the professionalism by which he approaches the play is admirable. The morale-boosting talk he gave me before the show in Hyderabad play was the only reason why I managed to say my dialogues without shivering! He is one guy who I admire immensely!

Another person who has been a great support has been Nikhila! And, over the past few months, she's not only been a wonderful director, but an amazing friend. I guess we're both subscribers to similar OCD's, and that's what clicked, but she has been a great friend.
What I'm hoping is that once we're done playing Five Point Someone, we will still be friends, and I'll get to work under her in the next play she will be doing.


It's been a great experience working on the play. I've got to perform at places I never dreamt I would! Ravindra Bharathi, Museum Theater (see pic), and soon, Rangashankara! And, I'm secretly hoping that we can perform in Bombay, at Prithvi Theater or NCPA.

Doing the play has been great fun. The memories I will have of the whole experience will always be very happy ones!

But, what is strange is that, at the end of the day, I don't really remember the plays. The plays happen and finish in a flash, but what really stays in your mind is all those days spent working on the characters. Redoing a scene five or ten times to get your tone right, or doing the scene one more time so that you feel a little more confident of yourself. This is what is the beauty of doing a play! All that time spent in rehearsal with each other, pushing yourself just a little more so that it the scene is a little closer to perfection.
Also, one more thing that I remember is all the screw-ups on stage. Like my voice doing a vanishing act. In Hyderabad, while the show was on, my voice just gave way. It's the most terrible experience I have had. Traumatic, to an extent. Spending two hours on stage, trying to make your voice reach the people beyond the front row, and praying to God that the Earth opens and swallows you in.
Or, a bottle of vodka being left on stage, standing nice and tall in the backdrop as the Professor teaches his bunch of students. Or, forgetting to go and take my position and being pushed by Sarvesh as I was blocking his way! These are the things that I will remember the play for, and there are the memories I will have for life!

I've been really lucky that God has thrown such opportunities at me, and I've been lucky enough for having taken them. God, please continue being kind!


Some more memories from the play!

when Hari meets Neha for the first time... That's Uttara there.. Uttara is the little kid in the group! Small, and a couple of years younger than the youngest amongst the rest, she is invariable the butt of most jokes. But, she's a great sport, and can laugh off any jokes aimed at her!







when Hari is caught by Prof. Cherian and takes him to his house!
Prof. Cherian is played by PC Ram.. What a voice the man has!

Ram is a plethora (is that the right word?) of experience! He's been acting for fifty years,, and still doing plays!




That's Prof Veera (Anshu) telling the three students what not to do at IIT.. and maybe, what they could do to save their ass!
Anshu... Total fun guy! IITian! And, the best part is, he has no swollen head... He is an author by profession, and I respect him for the courage he had to quit his job and take up writing, his passion. I hope I too have the balls to quit my job to do what I love doing!




at the close of the play, summing up the whole thing.... That is Vidyuth, who plays the narrator Hari.. Another amazing guy, and a wonderful actor!









Ryan (Praveen), Alok (Sarvesh) and Hari (me) sitting and discussing life.

It's been wonderful working with these two guys. Praveen is a little more reserved and quiet than Sarvesh, but once he and Sarvesh start off on something, just hope you're not their chosen scapegoat..