Three-time National Film Award-winning lyricist, writer and actor Swanand Kirkire is set to return to theatre as a writer and director after 10 years and as an actor after five years with Yo Brother, This Is 95 - A Musical, which will premiere at the Prithvi Theatre Festival. Interestingly, the play draws from a phase in his own life when he worked as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesperson in the early 1990s. Set against the backdrop of 1995, it follows a group of young salespeople trying to make a living in a world increasingly driven by targets, incentives and the promise of success.

Swanand says, “Yo Brother, This Is 95 is set at a time when India was entering a new era of aspirations, opportunities and consumerism, with targets, incentives and growth becoming part of everyday conversations. These economic changes gradually began shaping relationships, ambitions and the way people measured success. Through the lives of these young salespeople, we are trying to explore that shift with humour, music and a little bit of discomfort. At its heart, this is a story about ordinary people, their dreams and the compromises they make along the way. I also wanted to tell the story of the beginning of the era of globalisation and liberalisation, when foreign money was coming in and aspirations were changing.”

His own stint in door-to-door sales provided the material for the play, while exposing him to the varied experiences of people from different backgrounds.

Recalling those days, he says, “I worked as a door-to-door salesperson in 1992-93 and have drawn heavily from those experiences. Every household had a different story, a different world and its own problems. Vacuum cleaners were not particularly useful in most homes back then, as there were hardly any carpeted houses, and there was constant corporate pressure to perform. I faced rejection and humiliation during that time, with some people shutting the door in my face, insulting me or even throwing me out. At other times, people would welcome me into their homes and offer me water or food. Convincing people to buy a vacuum cleaner was the biggest challenge, and those experiences taught me important life lessons that I still carry with me.”

Theatre, he believes, offers a unique experience through its direct interaction with audiences and the collective effort involved in putting up a performance.

He says, “The excitement of meeting the audience and creating something together keeps drawing me back to theatre. It is like a sport that players return to every day. You may play video games, but you still go back to the court to play badminton. Theatre offers freedom of expression, spontaneity, group energy and a sense of selflessness. No other medium gives you the same joy of working in harmony with others. Experiencing the audience’s laughter and tears is amazing. Theatre is the oldest art form, and Prithvi Theatre has always celebrated the spirit of live performance and meaningful storytelling.”