I don’t take my audience for granted: Lillete

As her Prime Time Theatre Company production house completes its quarter century, well-known actor and theatre director Lillete Dubey is excited to bring her latest production Gauhar to Chandigarh this week.

The play traces the life and times of songstress Gauhar Jaan, to whom belongs the distinction of being the first Indian singer to cut a gramophone record back in 1902. The play, to be staged at Tagore Theatre on April 10, is a tribute to the pioneer of the thumri tradition in Indian classical music, whose achievements and contributions are largely forgotten, Dubey said in an interview.

“Gauhar was a prodigy and it is sad that we hardly acknowledge her contribution to the music industry,” lamented Dubey, who has directed critically-acclaimed productions like Dance like a Man, 30 Days In September and Where Did I Leave My Purdah?

Inspired by author Vikram Sampath’s book My Name is Gauhar Jann, Dubey said it was challenging to adapt the immensely talented courtesan-turned-musician’s life into theatre as she also added live music to the play.

Gauhar, written by Mahesh Dattani, dwells more on the human side of the singer as her personal life was equally fascinating.

While Rajeshwari Sachdev plays the young Gauhar till age 40, renowned sufi singer Zila Khan, the daughter of the late sitar maestro Vilayat Khan, plays the later part. Rajeshwari has done an exceptional job in her singing and acting, Dubey said.—IANS