Mukti Mohan and Ratnabali Bhattacharjee of The Gentlemen’s Club aka Tape are the two prominent characters that weaves the story of the play.
While Ratnabali is associated with theatre art since 1998, Mukti has been sharing the experience for last 3 years. Mukti, who comes from an artistic background, is a cumulative talent house of dance and acting. The duo loves to call themselves as ‘performers’.
Ratnabali has been an artist – sharing experience of both films and theatres. She shares an emotional connection with the live audience and loves the fact that she can palpably feel reactions of the audience while on a theatre. Mukti shares the same sort of opinion too. “I love the amazing feel of connectivity on the theatre stage. The fact that the audience lives with you, laughs with you, and feels your emotions is a wonderful feeling,” she says.
While Ratnabali visits Guwahati for the second time, this is Mukti’s first visit to the city. Ratnabali who was a part of Guwahati Theatre Festival 2016 for the play ‘The Living Room’ was all praises about the Guwahati audience. “Guwahati is a pool of art lovers. The full house audience that we had last year was the epitome of the fact that the city loves art,” she said.
Ratnabali is a theatre aficionado. She prefers this art over the other forms. To live a character and to portray it in front of a crowd is what makes an individual an artist, she believes. On the other hand, Mukti, who has been associated with dance, TV serials, web series loves any form of acting, provided she enjoys the role.
On being asked what it takes for her to live the character, Ratnabali said, “Silence and concentration matters. Just before the play, I want to have some silence. I imagine the stage, I rehearse the entrance and exit points, because that’s what matters the most.”
Mukti who has been a part of web series TVF Inmates spoke of the fast moving generation of the present. “The world today is always moving. You cannot confine your screens to just the television. People love things which are easily approachable. We all like options, which is why there is the rising trend of web series these days, because it gives you the scope to make a choice, what you like to see, and where do you like to see.”
About The Gentlemen’s Club aka Tape: The play which is set in the thriving underground club scene in Mumbai, follows the lives of various drag kings who perform in the city. The main act is that of Rocky aka Shammsher. Rocky pays homage to Sammi Kapoor and that golden era of Hindi cinema. Joined by a motley crew of women who rebel in drag performance, this cabaret like show take the audience into a grimy secret world that gives you the licence to be whoever you want. Using dance, music, and some amount of projection, this show weaves an exciting and provocative tale of women and their celebration of masculinity.