Nothing Like This Duo!

Nothing Like This Duo!

Theatre Lovers in Bhubaneswar can get to witness the acting prowess of the incredible pair of Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak as the two come together to present ‘Nothing Like Lear’ inspired by one of the bard’s greatest work, King Lear, in the city on August 30. 

The two powerhouses of talent have given us memorable movies like Dil Chahta Hai, Kapoor & Sons, Phas Gaya Re Obama, Bheja Fry, Khosla ka Ghosla, Chalo Delhi and Johnny Gaddar.

Organised by Zain Foundation, as part of its annual fundraiser initiative to build a therapeutic residential school for individuals within the Autism Spectrum Disorder in the capital city, the play will be staged at Rabindra Mandap from 730 pm. The foundation has managed to showcase some of the best theatre masters of the country in the state over the last few years in their endeavour to build the school.

The foundation came into being on June 11, 2015, to commemorate Zain’s birthday and honour his zest for life. He laid down his arms in 2014, at a cruel battle with cancer. Zain wanted his sibling, Rean, who is a child with autism, to be well looked after, and expressed a wish to make a haven for him and his friends in the future.

The Zain Foundation aspires to come up with a genuine, bonafide, accredited and therapeutic residential school for individuals within the Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder occurring in the alarming ratio of 1:58, the world over. A person with autism experiences a handicap in areas of communication, imagination and socialisation. They need training, unconditional love, support and the society’s willingness to include them in their fabric, in a desirable and respectful manner.

Over the last four years, the foundation has been engaged in advocacy work for the autism community in Bhubaneswar, through workshops, art exhibitions, rallies, as well as sporadic articles on awareness through print and audio-visual vehicles.

The foundation’s annual fundraiser has been a norm that adheres to great quality and senior craftsmanship. From bringing together Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar in a play called ‘Kaifi Aur Mein’ in 2015 to a classic performance by Naseeruddin Shah as Einstein in 2016,  the Siddhus of Upper Juhu, with stalwarts Rajit Kapur, Shernaz Patel & Shishir Sharma in 2017 to young masters Abhishek Patnaik and Darsheel Safary as the ‘Two Adorable Losers’ in 2018, the foundation’s efforts have warmed and won the hearts of the audiences across the city. 

King Lear is considered one of the greatest tragedies of Shakespeare. It was a tale full of betrayal, death and one’s descent into madness. ‘Nothing Like Lear’ is literally nothing like King Lear but it is a tragedy nonetheless in its own right. It has been there for nearly five years now. Rajat Kapoor deserves a lot of credit for bringing to light Shakespeare in such a unique way. This is definitely one of the plays one won’t mind watching multiple times.

This play shall be staged in Odisha for the first time. Donor passes are available on bookmyshow.com and one can also call 9178740972 for the same.