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Husain barred from watching play on his life
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service 

Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) Actor Sushant Singh, who plays M.F. Husain in the play "Husain Ki Kahani Husain Ki Zubani", is outraged at the circumstances that prevented the painter from attending the inaugural show of the play.

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The play chronicles Husain's life and opened last Saturday at Prithvi Theatres, Mumbai.

Sushant, who is pretty disappointed with the Hindu fundamentalists, told IANS: "Husain saab's son, daughter and granddaughters attended the show... much to my delight. But Husain saab couldn't come. 

"Apparently members of a Hindu radical organisation from Delhi have offered a reward of some lakh rupees to anyone who cuts off Husain saab's hands for painting 'Bharat Mata' without clothes." 

Sushant is livid. 

"We thought such diktats were peculiar to one community. I guess we Hindus want to prove we can do what the others can. Anyway Husain saab's absence was the only sore point on the opening night. His granddaughters were reduced to tears." 

Sushant plays the painter from age 20 to 52. 

"So I am on stage for almost two hours non-stop. I go through various changes in my look, body language and speech in front of the audience. It was a challenge that put the fear of god in me on the opening night, especially since the august gathering included the likes of Gulzar saab, Waheeda Rehman-ji and Shabana Azmi."

But he is satisfied with his performance. 

"Fortunately for me, my performance went off smoothly... no hitches at all. Even my wife Molina, who is my greatest critic, liked my performance."

Sushant was on stage last year in the play "Hands Ya Feet" with Nandita Das. 

"But here playing Husain saab, I had to hold the fort almost by myself except for the first 45 minutes when another actor played the adolescent part of Husain saab's life. 

"I was especially scared because I look nothing like the painter. Luckily for me the audience went beyond the physicality in no time at all."
          

Playing M.F. Husain on stage is tough: Sushant
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, April 23 (IANS) Actor Sushant Singh admits playing M.F. Husain in an autobiographical stage adaptation of the eminent painter's life "Husain Ki Kahani Husain Ki Zubani" has been tough.

"It's very tough to play someone who's a living legend. You've to get all the physical and emotional details just right," says the dedicated actor.

The play, being directed by Nadira Babbar, opened last Saturday at Prithvi Theatres, Mumbai.

Sushant, who was last seen on stage in "Heads Ya Tail" with Nandita Das last year, plays the barefoot painter from his early youth to his present age.

Says Sushant: "Important and interesting episodes from his childhood to the present day form the narrative of the play. The director has tried to intersperse the scenes with footage and slides of Husain's paintings, his native place, news clippings etc. I'm playing the young, and subsequently the old Husain."

"Time permitting, I'd love to do more plays. They rejuvenate me as an actor. I'm famished for opportunities. It's a great opportunity to play Husain Saab especially in a play as huge as this, and with such a large canvas."

Sushant was in Chandigarh last month shooting for his first Punjabi film. 

"Gurdas Mann's film is based on the life of Sufi poet Waris Shah, the famed author of 'Heer', being played by Gurdas Mann. Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta and I are the other principal players. I'm opposite Juhi. Divya plays my sister. The interesting part is that it's a period film, and for the first time such a huge set has been erected for a Punjabi film."

The film is being directed by Manoj Punj. "I also hope to finish the shooting of Mani Shankar's 'Mukhbir' by April. It's shaped up really well. There's so much excitement happening in our cinema. This is a wonderful time to be in the movies."