The actor takes on a modern narrator’s role in Aadyam Theatre’s dramedy adaptation of Dead Man’s Cell Phone, blending humour, music, and themes of loneliness and identity

When you look at some of the plays Sagar Deshmukh has acted in – whether it is Chaheta or Anatomy of a Suicide, you would assume that he only likes serious characters and plays. However, the actor insists it is not the case, and in fact, comedy is one of his most favourite genres. Case in point, his latest play Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala directed by Mohit Takalkar, which is part of the latest season of Aadyam Theatre. A dramedy about connections and identity, this adaptation of Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone brings together an ensemble cast with live music and layered performances. Sagar tells us more…

What is Dil Ka Hal Sune Dilwala about and what appealed to you about it?

This is a flight which we have taken from Sara Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone. In the play, the protagonist attends the ringing phone of a man who has died inside a café, and continues taking calls from people who knew him. It delves into the loneliness felt by the characters and their personal ambitions and the choices left with them. All of this is said and done in a humorous way. Bollywood songs have also been woven into the narrative. It is a linear play in terms of the story but not in terms of its presentation.