A still from the play
Multiple dupattas form a turbulent river where Sohni and Mahiwal meet their tragic end. The ocean-blue fabric billowing in the air, paired with stage lighting, creates a striking climax to an otherwise drawn-out, filmy retelling of the Punjabi folk tale of star-crossed lovers. With little reinvention of the original tale, the dialogues could have been more poetic and less melodramatic. Instead, Paar Chana De often plays out like a trope-heavy 1980s Bollywood film. Everything is loud and in-your-face. the performances often tip into overacting While theatre calls for heightened expressions to help the audience follow the drama. A few elements kept the play from becoming yet another predictable adaptation. The rustic background music at the beginning evoked the spirit of Punjab. Mahiwal’s delirious walk through the audience was another highlight, effectively breaking the stage boundary. The climax, which showed how the lovers ultimately met their tragic end, demonstrated what the production could achieve when it took over from the writing.
