Running on friendship

Running on friendship

Afghan-American medico Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner has touched a chord with all those who picked it to read Amir and Hassan’s story. The wonderfully rich textured tale of Amir and Hassan’s friendship, abandonment and redemption made it to the big screen in 2007, winning positive reviews.

In India, it has been adapted for stage by Aadyam, a theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group. We speak to Akarsh Khurana who has directed The Kite Runner which will  be staged in Mumbai from August 31. Excerpts from an interview:


What were your first impressions when you read Khalid Hosseini’s The Kite Runner?
It is over a decade since I read the book. I remember being rather moved. I also watched the film at some point and liked it. I’ve always had an affinity for stories from the Middle East. In the past, I have directed plays like Baghdad Wedding and Love, Bombs, and Apples, both by Hassan Abdulrazzak. So when I saw that there was a ready adaptation of The Kite Runner, it was a no brainer. 

And, what was it about Matthew Spangler’s adaptation that you decided to direct the play?
Honestly, the fact that it existed. I’ve done adaptations, and I thought this book was impossible to adapt to the stage. But when I read Matthew’s script, I was blown away by the way he had managed to tame the beast.

Can you also tell us about the process of adapting books to stage? Which novels or stories can be adapted for films or stage?
There are umpteen books that have made it to stage. Too many to list. We at Akvarious have done stage versions of Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom, The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, a short-lived production based on the Tintin comics, and three plays based on Ruskin Bond’s stories. We also had a couple of misfires, where the play couldn’t do justice. So no, it isn’t easy. One has to find the balance between remaining loyal to the book while remaining true to the stage. Flexibility is a prerequisite. I saw a London based production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, which was exciting and innovative and just completely out-of-the-box but managed to be so because it took many liberties. 

In a previous interview, you had said ‘I like simplicity’. How would you want the audience to focus on the play because there are many layers to the story?
I do like simplicity for sure. With the play, I want audiences to connect with the emotional core of Amir’s journey. The layers are all there for the taking, and I hope people will find them and enjoy them.  

As a corollary to the previous question, should the theatre practitioners expect the audience to react in a certain way to a certain situation? Some theatre artists/directors are seen explaining certain scenes to the audience after the show.
I don’t think one can control an audience’s reactions. We can do our best and use all the tools at our disposal to nudge them into certain directions, but we’ll never know how they will respond to the play. Reactions vary from show to show as well, and that’s what is so special about the medium. 

How was it working with a relatively young set of actors including your brother?
My brother is 31 now. And has been working with me for close to a decade. There are younger actors though. I think Muskkaan Jaaferi is the youngest in the cast. She’s a very mature actor, but her energy is young and infectious. Our cast spans ages from the early 20s to the late 60s. My dad is perhaps the oldest, but his energy is quite awe-inspiring too. So it is an interesting room, and the middle-aged bunch is constantly kept on its toes. 

You have also mentioned about travelling with your productions to other cities. Any plans to bring The Kite Runner to Pune?
We have six shows in Mumbai and three in Delhi under Aadyam. We honestly haven’t thought beyond as yet. Right now, all our focus is on the opening night.

ST Reader Service
The Kite Runner will be staged at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai, from Aug 31-Sep 1, 
at 4 and 7.30 pm.

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