Sohaila Kapur celebrates women’s resilience

Partition brings back memories of displacement, the loss of precious lives and generational trauma. Acclaimed actor, theatre director and playwright Sohaila Kapur’s family too was impacted by it. Her brother, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur had once shared that his mother played dead on a train during Partition to save her children’s lives. Sohaila who stars as a Partition survivor in Mahesh Dattani’s acclaimed play, ‘Where Did I Leave My Purdah’ understandably identifies with its theme. She is delighted that this Zee Theatre teleplay will now be available in Telugu and says, “The play will thrive in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as the South holds a strong cultural presence. Good work deserves a pan-India presence, and this play is a testament to that. Theatre will always remain relevant in the lives of those with interest in the arts.”

About her emotional connection with the theme, she says, “I came into the world after independence but I carry stories from both sides of my family – my mother’s, my father’s, and my grandparents. I’ve heard about the harrowing time when people from both sides were killing each other. The scene, where my character Nazia describes her escape as a young actress, resonated deeply. It stirred memories of my mother’s similar experience of surviving a train massacre. Reading this gave me goosebumps, as it mirrored a story from my own family.”

In ‘Where Did I Leave My Purdah’, Sohaila plays Nazia, a veteran theatre actor, and founder of the Modern Theatre who is reduced to playing bit parts in films. Nazia survived the horrors of Partition as a young girl, found solace on stage but now unfortunately faces an uncertain future.

Explaining what drew her to this character, Sohaila says, “Mahesh Dattani’s plays often revolve around women. This one narrates the story of an ambitious woman but it also delves into the broader human aspects, portraying women as capable of both ruthlessness and ambition, depending on the circumstances. This dual perspective is what drew me to the play – it’s not solely about gender but also about the human experience.” The teleplay directed by Mahesh Dattani stars Divya Dutta, Swara Bhas ker, Sunil Palwal and Deepal Doshi. It will be streamed on 13th January on Airtel Theatre, Dish TV Rangmanch Active, and D2h Rangmanch Active.