In his first-ever comical theatre role, Tahil turns counsellor to those with suicidal tendencies
MID-DAY (September 15, 2016)

Dalip Tahil is set to step onto the floorboards in a light-hearted role for the first time. The veteran actor will be seen in the English play, Can I Help You?, in which he will play an amusing yet endearing character.

The drama premieres on September 18 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA. Written and directed by Abhishek Patnaik, the cast includes Anant Mahadevan, Darsheel Safary and Bhavna Pani. Says Dalip, "On stage, I have mostly done serious stuff, but this time, it's a light-hearted role. It is not a funny caricature, but there are lots of moments that will make you chuckle."

Can I Help You? is about a retired insurance agent (played by Tahil) living in Darjeeling, close to a suicide point, and how he ends up becoming a counsellor and saves lives. His character is called Ramakant Surajdas Dhanvantari Lal. As the name is a tongue-twister, he is simply called Don since he has the unique record of selling over 100 life insurance policies in a calendar year.

"He is the don of life insurance policies, not of the underworld," guffaws Tahil, adding that indigenous writers should be encouraged in theatre. On the film front, the actor was in Georgia recently for the shoot of Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine. "I am back working with my favourite directors. I have done several films with them including Baazigar (1993), Soldier (1998) Ajnabee (2001) Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) and Race (2008)."

Darsheel Safary is back, this time in a play. But he reminds us that he is still growing up
Aashta Atray Banan (MID-DAY; September 11, 2016)

It would take a second look to recognise Darsheel Safary today. But, as he keeps repeating, it’s been 10 years since he made a stunning debut in Taare Zameen Par. He is rehearsing for his new play, Can I Help You? in Juhu when we meet him on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon. He plays Rikhav, a teenage fast bowler, who is on the verge of committing suicide when he meets an odd bunch of characters and his life changes. “I decided to do theatre as I am also at the weird age, where I can neither play a child nor a full-blown grown up. And I still look young,” he laughs, and we agree. He looks younger than his 19 years and has been busy in the past few years with a few films (he last appeared in Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children in 2012), advertisements and special appearances in TV series.

“After Taare, I had started thinking of what to do. I had got good advice from Rahul Bose who told me, have a side business ready. So I studied BMM at HR College, so that I could get to know the field better,” he says practically. “But I am in love with acting, so that’s what I want to do.”

His part in this Out Of The Box production, directed by Abhishek Pattnaik, sees him share stage with theatre stalwarts like Dalip Tahil and Anant Mahadevan. “When I saw his recent pictures, and then met him, I knew he would fit this character that is brash — he had that quality. It just fit,” says Pattnaik. But to match acting chops with the greats, Safary had to make sure he had the techniques of theatre down pat. He says his training started in college. “I told my father that I wanted to just enjoy college life as I did Std 11 and 12. But, during that time as well, I acted in so many stage and street plays, that this became my thing,” he says, “I once played Mahatma Gandhi and was, for the first time, introduced to method acting. I roamed around with a stick and spectacles and even got his voice right. People told me they had never met a Gandhi like me.” But, rehearsals for the play have been rigorous for the last few days. And, he has built his character with care. “I kept every direction the director gave in my head and then registered the character,” he explains, “Theatre is a one-shot medium. You need be loud without being over the top. If you mess up, well you have messed up your only chance. There is so much to take care of.”

He gives us another reason for taking to theatre, and not doing any films for now, and it’s a noble one. “I want young people to come to the theatre. When they see our play, they will know that theatre is not preachy or ruddy duddy. It’s young and relevant.” Next on the cards is setting up his Instagram and Snapchat accounts and getting out there, even if he describes himself as an anti-social, shy Piscean. But, as he says, he is still figuring out who is his, when he is not acting. “I am a little confused most of the time but when I am acting, I know exactly who I am - a completely different person. Like my character Rikhav, who will teach you how a person adapts to life, which I don't think I have done yet," he laughs. Well, he stills has lots of time to go.

Deepali Singh (DNA; August 15, 2016)


Although Darsheel, a second year BMM student from HR College, has acted in numerous plays throughout his school and college days, this is his debut on commercial stage. “The director approached me for the play and I was carried away by the script when I heard it. I have been wanting to do a full-fledged play for a long time and this seemed perfect,” says the teenager. Darsheel plays an aspiring cricketer, Rikhav, with a lot of issues. “Although I have been doing amateur theatre for a long time, with this play, I’m getting to learn a lot. I’m discovering how I can make this brash character likeable to the audience,” he says.

To add to that, he’s got great company. Stalwarts of theatre, including Dalip Tahil and Anant Mahadevan are part of the play too, and Darsheel says he couldn’t have asked for better co-stars. “These people are textbooks of drama. All I need to do is watch and learn and hopefully, be as good as them in future,” he adds. With just a month left for the play’s premiere, Darsheel says he’s really excited but is bound to feel the pressure on the day of his debut on stage. “I’m at an age where I can experiment. My dad told me to gain as much knowledge as I can before I get back to the big screen,” he says. And when will that happen? “Movies will happen when they have to. I’m waiting to grow up some more and for the right script to come along,” he signs off.