The play on Amrita Pritam and Imroz explores platonic love on stage

Parchhaaee, Amrita Aur Imroz Ki by Hyderabad-based writer Suhas Bhatnagar casts a light on the letters exchanged between writer Amrita Pritam and poet-painter Imroz

Writer Amrita Pritam and poet-painter Imroz’s unusual relationship comes to life on stage this weekend in Hyderabad with the play Parchhaaee, Amrita Aur Imroz Ki. Written and directed by Suhas Bhatnagar of Kahaniwala Arts and Theatre, the production also weaves in elements of fiction to explore their emotional journey.

“The script incorporates letters written by them to each other and also poems written by me on behalf of Amrita,” says 64-year-old Suhas, who plays Imroz in the play. Suhas conceived the play in 2020 while writing poems about Amrita Pritam. Drawn to their story, he developed it into a full-fledged production and decided it was a case of ‘now or never’. “I’m 64, and I believe this is the age to do everything I couldn’t earlier. I have a backlog of written theatre material that needs to be staged— after all, I doubt even Yamraj encourages theatre in his realm,” he says with a laugh.

The production offers glimpses into their platonic love, the care, respect and mutual affection they shared. “Amrita and Imroz, two figures — one from literature and the other from the visual arts — demonstrated how the two worlds can blend beautifully in companionship. Though their time together ended in 2005 with Amrita’s passing, Imroz kept her memory alive until his own death in 2023. He had once said, ‘Usne jism chhoda hai, mera saath nahin’ (She has left the body, not my companionship).”

Neha Surana Bhandari, who plays Amrita Pritam, comes from the fashion industry and represented Telangana at the Mrs India Earth contest in 2017. A keen painter, she has closely worked on recreating Amrita’s appearance and style. IT professional Sudeshna Samant plays Dr Sudipta, a fictional character who is a research scholar and admirer of Amrita Pritam.

Suhas hopes younger audiences will discover a deeper meaning of love through the play — what it truly means to care, to be devoted, and to live for one another. “Love today, in the age of social media, is often instant — like ready-to-eat food. But this is a story of two individuals, Amrita and Imroz, who lived with deep affection and concern for each other. I hope young viewers will see that emotion differently and understand what it means to care from the heart,” he says.

A regular in the storytelling circuit, Suhas has written and directed five plays: Arundhati, Draupadi, Mere Kirdaar, and Chuhalbaaziyan Ismat Aur Manto Ki. Kahaniwala launched the Parchhaaee series in 2024 with its first production, Parchhaaee: Ismat Aur Manto Ki, which was staged at the Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF) and again on International Women’s Day at Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

Parchhaaee, Amrita Aur Imroz Ki to be staged at Lamakaan on April 27; 8 pm onwards; Tickets: bookmyshow.com