Forging female friendships

A rehearsal in progress for the play

When Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra aka Jai and Veeru rode that iconic scooter in Sholay singing Yeh dosti hum nahi todenge, they created an enduring image for male friendships as portrayed by the Hindi film industry. But try and think of a movie or even a theatrical play that does the same for women and you will end up racking your brain. They have either been subplots in films like Devdas (Paro and Chandramukhi) or the movies themselves have been more in the art-house or indie mould, as was the case with Axone. Otherwise, films and plays have largely shunned narratives that rest on the idea of two women building a relationship that lasts the sands of time.

Actor Heeba Shah tells us that she doesn't know why that is. But she's altered that equation with a new drama she's written along with Phulmani Varma. It's called What Happened?! and shows the bond that two neighbours in Mumbai build during the lockdown. They have never met each other. But something magical happens (Shah is hesitant to reveal exactly what since it will be a spoiler) and their lives are intertwined thanks to technological innovations like smartphones and social media, which help them forge a friendship that alleviates the loneliness that most of us went through in that period.

Heeba Shah

Shah, who is also the play's director, tells us, "The plot shows the relationship between women and technology; it portrays the kind of people we have become after social media and smartphones invaded our lives. [The narrative] talks about the relationship at a human level, though. It shows how the human will is stronger than the hold that technology has on us - we forget that at the end of the day, technology has been made by people."

She adds that she knows of many women who have been close to each other since childhood. But Shah also clarifies, "I can't recall a single story or play where the focus is on women being friends." The question is: can you? Or if you were able to, did you have to rack your brains? Or was it as easy as imagining two con men riding a scooter, professing their undying love for each other, before one of them is killed?

On Today, 5 pm and 8 pm
At Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Church Road, Juhu.
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Cost Rs 400