The word "chudail", thanks to its template treatment in Ramsay Brothers' films, and the many shows they have inspired, evokes the image of a white saree-clad woman with long hair, feet turned backwards and strangely lit eyes that induce fear in the faint-hearted and laughter in others simultaneously. But times have changed, and it's imperative that chudails move on, too. Shikaar, a play in Hindi by Patchworks Ensemble premiering this weekend, spins a contemporary world around its leading ladies, who reside in a city inhabited by both, human and otherworldly beings. Well adjusted in this set-up, they have professional lives, too.

The story and concept is by journalist and author Shubhangi Swarup whose debut novel Latitudes of Longing was shortlisted for the 2018 JCB Prize for Literature, while the final outcome is a devised performance by actors Puja Sarup, Rachel D'souza, Shruti Vyas, Neha Singh, Reshma Shetty, Saurabh Nayyar and Dheer Hira. Director Sheena Khalid, who corrects our use of the word "witch", shares, "It's a group of chudails who meet up in an old bungalow to celebrate a big occasion in the community. But the arrival of a government official changes things." Elaborating on the kind of contemporary lives the ladies lead, Sarup says, "They have jobs. One of them is an entrepreneur who runs a beauty and hair-care business. It's a sisterhood of chudails."