Anand recalls his first tryst with Manto’s writings, “I left the comforts of Bhopal in 2003 to be closer to the theatre scene in Delhi. I was in the dark about Urdu literature until a close friend introduced me to Manto’s writings at the Sahitya Akademi Library in Delhi. What began as the reading of a single book, soon turned into a guiding force for the artiste in me. The first story I was handed was Mammad Bhai, and hence, I built the play around it, in tribute to the legend”

A part of Manto’s pre-Partition literature, the short story follows a fearless and violent local goon who is celebrated as a benevolent Robin Hood-esque figure in the gullies of Kamathipura. “Like most of Manto’s characters, Mammad Bhai was a real person who lived in the neighbourhood until his death in 2013. I visited the Arab Gully in Kamathipura a few years ago to get a glimpse from afar, but I couldn’t muster up the courage to go any closer,” Anand reveals. This rugged, bad guy image that many such infamous anecdotes evoke, soon gives way to comedic relief for Manto, Anand, and now this writer. “The fun ensues when Manto finally decides to meet him and finds a short, stout, and bubbly man with a child-like demeanour in Mammad Bhai. The duo’s escapades and Manto’s commentary on how the character is grossly misunderstood by the masses forms the core of the story,” Anand informs us.

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Saadat Hasan Manto. File pic

During the hour-long play, Anand will take on the roles of various characters and narrate their stories through monologues. Asked about how well the essence and atmosphere of erstwhile Bombay’s iconic neighbourhoods can be translated to a solo play with minimal props, the actor remarks, “I don’t believe in grand productions. The flashing lights and props take away from the actor’s emotions. My upcoming play will feature mellow ghazals sung by Begum Akhtar, and minimal light-play to transport the audience to the era it is set in.”

Over a call from Versova, Anand reveals that the story is close to his heart for another reason; one that exemplifies a fulfilling friendship. “I was a shy and reserved actor who had just moved to Mumbai in the early 2010s when I bumped into the late actor Irrfan Khan at a movie launch. I was hesitant to strike up a conversation with a man of his stature, but once I approached him and had a brief chat about my dreams of making it big, I witnessed him completely shed the aura of his stardom and guide me like a friend. For me, that was a classic Manto-Mammad Bhai moment. It sparked a life-long friendship between us that continued through various projects. I consider him a guiding light and it fills my heart with joy when I imagine him applauding every time I take the stage,” the actor concludes. After all, as Faiz says, perhaps there are other joys to life than that of being in love. 

On: February 26; 9 pm 
At: Veda Black Box, Aram Nagar Part 2, Versova. 
Log on to: insider.in
Entry: Rs 99 onwards