Mumbai, Jul 24 (IANS): The story of late actress Devika Rani, popularly known as the first lady of Indian cinema, will now be brought alive through a play directed by actress-director Lillette Dubey.

Actress Ira Dubey plays Devika Rani in the play, and is ably supported by actors like Joy Sengupta and Rishi Khurana. The play is written by Kishwar Desai.

It focuses on the life and struggles of an independent, ambitious woman who was determined to make it big in the acting profession. Having studied acting from London and with an inborn passion for it, Devika lit up the silver screen every time she was on it.

Although a star performer, she had to face a multitude of problems in her personal and professional life owing to patriarchy, male egos and societal pressures. The play navigates between these ups and downs.

"Devika Rani is an inspiration to all of us, men and women. She thought ahead of her time and stood her ground in a society that stepped on women's ambitions. To be able to pay a small tribute to her courage through this play is an honour and a pleasure for me," Lillette said.

Organised by Showhouse, the play will be performed across Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru.