Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 28: After a 31-year gap from acting on stage, filmmaker and actor Mahesh Manjrekar has rediscovered his love for theatre and is now set to headline his new play Animal, which will première on March 7 at the Tata Theatre in Mumbai.

Manjrekar’s return to theatre began last December when he acted in Shankar Jaikishan, marking his comeback to the stage after over three decades. In January, Lovable Rascal, directed by him, opened to audiences. With Animal, he takes on multiple responsibilities — writer, director and actor.

Describing the upcoming Hindi drama, Manjrekar said it stemmed from a deep personal unrest. “You cannot call it a social drama. It is an expression of anger,” he said, noting that the growing apathy in society compelled him to pen the script. “It is based on the apathy of humans against everything that is happening in our society. We have become indifferent to things around us.”

In Animal, Manjrekar plays Dattu, a small-town man who arrives in Mumbai chasing stardom. The narrative unfolds through Dattu’s perspective, reflecting society’s indifference and moral decline. Interestingly, while there are several characters in the play, Manjrekar’s character is the only one with dialogues.

Explaining the title, he said, “I have called it Animal because Aristotle had said, ‘Man is a social animal.’ But we have proved Aristotle wrong by showing that man is more vicious and dangerous than an animal.”

The filmmaker also revealed that he is considering adapting the play into a film in Hindi and English. However, he clarified that while he may helm the project, he does not plan to act in its screen version.