Illusion versus reality in ‘Mithyasur’

The phenomenal play ‘Mithyasur’, directed by Ajeet Singh Pallawat, was recently feted with multiple awards at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META 2026). Among the accolades were awards for Best Production, presented to the Ujaagar Dramatic Association and Ved Satpathy; Best Original Script, bagged by Pranay Pandey, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male), awarded to Sahil Ahuja.

The play is based in 18th-century Hindustan and revolves around an ancient temple and its high priest, Somdev, who is guided by the demon king Kumbh via dreams. Indeed, in contemporary times — that are all about digital appearances, and artificial intelligence becoming an inseparable part of our existence — a play rooted in the realm of “devotion and delusion” has generated much interest.

‘Mithyasur’ comes from the words ‘mithya’ or illusion and ‘asur’ or demon. As the director, Pallawat, elucidates, “Growing up, I was always fascinated by the mythological stories woven into our daily lives. As I delved deeper into theatre, I realised that the power of illusion and reality are fundamental to the craft.”

‘Mithyasur’ thus becomes an attempt to explore how myths can be both timeless and timely; how they can speak to our contemporary concerns and yet remain rooted in a sense of timelessness. “I think myths have been the best facade to create a sense of disorientation, a sense of questioning what’s real and what’s not,” says Pallawat.

The director wanted to present a story that is set in a world unlike ours, but deals with ideas that are fundamentally human. “Placed in a world of demons and kings, the narrative may appear complex but is inherently quite simple, primarily because we all have grown up listening to stories of rajas, ranis, devtas and asurs. Mythology tricks us into a sense of comfort and familiarity, thus allowing us to lose our rigid and preconceived notions. The setting of ‘Mithyasur’ hence becomes important for this story,” he says.

Always intrigued by the power of myth in shaping us as humans and our sense of what is true and what isn’t, the other-worldly historical dimension of ‘Mithyasur’ became Pallawat’s attempt to understand the interplay between power, its abuse and its relation with forces such as religion, state and science.

Vijay Patidar plays the lead character of Somdev. On the process of delving into the depths of faith, he says: “My first and most difficult task was to understand the kind of surrender that would be required for a character like Somdev and then for it to get shattered and what that would mean.”

He says it was an immersive process, full of discovering facets of himself, and his own struggles with the idea of being so devoted to someone. “When you come from a small town, a lot of things become a part of your being without you recognising the factual reality of those things. The festivals we celebrate, the deities we worship — it all feels like part of an identity rather than a question of myth versus reality.”

“But when you grow up, you start recognising and questioning these traditions and belief systems. What’s fascinating and beautiful is that this question is an endless, immortal being in itself. It has presented and will continue to present itself to generations, forever and ever,” notes Patidar.

The play also won Sahil Ahuja an award for Best Supporting Actor (Male). For his character of Rakshas Raj, he underwent a bodily metamorphosis.

“I began doing theatre a decade ago and this was the first time I had to learn the basics of Kuttiyattam for a role. The physical references and videos of many Kuttiyattam gurus made it possible for me to transform my body. Under the guidance of Madhav Chakyar sir, my eyes and hands learnt a new language and that changed the way I was approaching the character,” says Ahuja.

The changes in his body started to alter his speech pattern. The dialogues somehow took shape and resulted in images; some were said in silence. “This was a completely new experience for me. I have never in my life achieved the famous ‘walk and talk’ of the character in this fashion.”

Among the other actors were Pratiksha Kote, who plays Revati. She is a woman of substance, who asks questions and takes things in her control for the sake of her dynasty. She says the character draws its strength from the script itself.

“We tried to portray the character through the script. To understand Revati’s politics, I studied her lines and where these were coming from. For that, guidance from Ajeet Pallawat and creative and art director Ipshita Singh Chakraborty played an important role,” adds Kote.

Pallawat calls himself an ardent student of history and science. He says the research that went into ‘Mithyasur’ was not a one-time effort but rather something shaped by what all he has read and understood. He is fascinated by the rich tapestry of Indian kingdoms and their dynamics with powers both foreign and domestic.

“Our history, particularly of the last few hundred years, has shaped us into our society of today. Philosophy based on religion and faith remains highly relevant, offering a counterbalance to technology’s frenetic pace,” he concludes.

— The writer is a freelancer