Rating: ★★★ Genres: Suspense, Drama Production House: Anisha Creations, Malhar Nirmit Producer: Milind Anant More, Suchit Sadashiv Jadhav Director: Arun Nalawade Music: Prabodh Shetye Writer: Suresh Jayaram Artist: Siya Patil, Suchit Jadhav, Ramesh Bhatkar, Sudesh Mhashilkar, Hrishikesh Dali, Kevalanand Barve, Devendra Waghmare, Vasantika Valke, Pragati Ghanekar, Madhuri Joshi Play Review by: Ulhas Shirke

There is always good response to Marathi plays which offer suspense filled plots. The latest offering by writer Suresh Jayram is ‘Shadayantra‘, which is directed by Arun Nalawade. The play deals with an interesting plot, where we find a rich young couple Vikas and Shubhada Inamdar( Suchit Jadhav and Siya Patil) having some differences over their construction business. Actually, Vikas runs the family business of Shubhada’s father, after his death, as Shubhada’s brother is more keen on becoming a music director. Shubhada does not like the unethical deals of Vikas and always opposes him.

When Shubhada’s brother comes to know about Vikas’s dealings, he questions him and asks for important contract papers of a controversial deal. But, Vikas murders him the same night, when Shubhada is away with her friend and the servant Asha also away from home. Vikas manages to show this murder as suicide, due to frustration. Soon, Vikas also plans the murder of Shubhada, with the help of his girl friend. But, on the same night Vikas himself is found murdered and his body found in swimming pool of their bungalow. With this happening, Just at the stroke of interval, arrives a Smart and intelligent Police Inspector Manohar Nagarkar( Ramesh Bhatkar), who has a good record of solving many murder cases.

The later half of this drama is all about investigation and unfolding the suspense step by step. Besides the couple and the inspector, there are many other important characters in this drama, in the form of Asha the full time servant in the house, Divekar( Sudesh Mhashilkar) the most trusted and an old employee of Inamdar’s construction company, A lady family friend who is a regular visitor to Inamdar’s house, Suchit’s Girlfriend Leena, an experienced advocate of Inamdar family and few others. Director Arun Nalawade has skillfully handled the proceedings of this gripping plot, holding the suspense till the end.

Good performances by all these important characters, makes ‘Shadayantra‘ play more presentable. Ramesh Bhatkar in the role of investigating Police Inspector steals the show, with his stylish dialogue delivery and well suited body language, at every important occasion. Even otherwise, in the past he has always been at his best, playing such roles of Police Officer. Both Siya Patil and Suchit Jadhav are very natural . Siya has given some best emotion filled scenes, while Sudesh Mhashilkar in the role of Divekar has brought some humour through his notable performance.

Lights by Rajan Tamhane, set design by Prakash Mayekar, costumes by Poornima Oak are some of the plus points of this play. There are few happenings in this play, which fail to convince. But, all in all, ‘Shadayantra‘ has a good suspense filled plot, supported by equally good performances by the artistes.