Almost every time Ratika raised her arms and looked skywards this evening, small leaves fell, as if a shower from heaven. And yes, she was blessed.

It was at LaMakaan this evening, and a performance of Sutradhar’s Mah Laqa Bai Chanda, directed by Vinay Verma. On stage Ratika had no companion but herself and a character out of Hyderabad’s colorful history.

It was a story legends are made of. A Courtesan, a Warrior Princess, a Woman, a Poet…was there anything this woman was not? The evening was a subtle blend of melodies and soliloquies, of gentle pacing and contemplative acting.

I must confess here that I am an ardent admirer of Ratika and think she is enormously talented…just as I must admit that Vinay Verma has always been a Director whose work impresses. Today the duo managed to put up a house full show…with people sitting on the floor and held the audience spellbound for almost an hour. The story was intriguing, the rendition almost flawless and the winter evening setting gently breezed the audience into a trance.

If there was a discordant note, it was the way Pallavi Varma set up her laptop…the glow from the monitor was a rude distraction.

And the other, an observation that is purely personal…I got the feeling that the layout of the stage, the moves planned and choreographed for Ratika, all had an excessive hangover from Vinay’s other popular production MAIN RAHI MASOOM. And while Vinay has the personality and the voice to carry off a slow, deliberate, somber portrayal…Ratika is still a gazelle obviously bridled…stretching her limits a couple of times but otherwise tethered to center stage where she uses both cushions to a very fashionista kind of effect.

But that I think is me being picky…it was a wonderful evening. And as Vinay said…this play and others in the same genre if not timeline, are essential for us to watch and propagate if our rich culture and heritage have to survive. All the Best. Amen.