MUMBAI: Aadyam Theatre, the one-of-a-kind theatre initiative by Aditya Birla Group, is back for its seventh season. This season witnessed some of the most intriguing plays taking the stage. From Atul Kumar’s captivating drama, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, to Purva Naresh’s splendid musical Chandni Raatein, Aadyam Theatre has upped the ante, leaving the audience spellbound. After the successful runs of the two plays, Aadyam Theatre’s next theatrical presentation is Saanp Seedhi directed by Shubhrajyoti Barat starring Kumud Mishra and Sumeet Vyas.
The play is an adaptation of Anthony Shaffer’s skillfully crafted thriller Sleuth. The play already saw a thundering response from the audience during its March 2025 run in Mumbai and Delhi. Now, Saanp Seedhi will have a third run in Mumbai on April 25th and 26th, 2025 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA. Here are five reasons to grab the opportunity to witness the world of this edge-of-the-seat thriller unfold!
Saanp Seedhi Brings Human Psychological Warfare To The Front
If you have enjoyed classic thrillers like Mousetrap, Perfect Crime, The Pillowman, and others, this play is just the one for you! Kumud Mishra and Sumeet Vyas easily fit the parts of their respective characters. Kumud plays Anil Wadhwa, the flamboyant filmmaker with a flair for theatrics, and Vyas is starring as Mayank Tiwari, a simple, sweet architect from Pune.
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It is the story of two men who come together during one fateful day that completely changes the trajectory of their lives. Anil is a retired, narcissistic filmmaker who is living a lavish life in Goa. Mayank is a humble architect from Pune who is in love with the man’s wife. A visit to convince the former to divorce the wife turns into a game of desires, deceit, and power, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
Saanp Seedhi Is A Masterful Adaptation Of The Tony-Winning Play Sleuth
Anthony Shaffer’s purely brilliant play Sleuth has captivated audiences over the years. It has also received the coveted Tony Award for Best Play in 1971 and has also been adapted for celluloid. With Saanp Seedhi, Barat is reinvigorating the palpable energy of the play on the Aadyam stage for the Indian audience.
The director is staging a thrilling clash of two intriguing sensibilities with a zing of cinematic moments and a nod to the cult classics era of Indian cinema. Set against the serene backdrop of Goa, the play weaves the love triangle with intense drama, dramatic gasps, and unapologetic filminess. It doesn’t get more heartland than this!
The Play Stars Kumud Mishra And Sumeet Vyas
One is a chameleon, very seamlessly transforming into any character he plays, and the other one is a panther, commanding an ease both on stage and celluloid! Kumud Mishra, an NSD graduate, has mastered the craft of slipping into diverse roles with effortlessness. Apart from his memorable cinematic characters, he also starred in plays like Bali Aur Shambhu, Ilhaam, Kaumudi, and others.
Whereas Sumeet has had the audience in stitches and awe with his performances. Be it in the audience’s favourite Permanent Roommates or beloved films like English Vinglish, he has left a stamp of individuality with ease and grace, just like a panther. Some of his theatre credits include Jasma Odhan, Court Martial, Sandhya Chaya, Begum Jaan among others.
Saanp Seedhi Also Pays Homage To The Pulpy Crime Genre
The era of a parallel movement of B-films became popular in India during the 80s and 90s. At the forefront of this movement were some daring filmmakers like Kanti Shah, Kishan Shah, Raj Kumar Kohli, and others.
The play is subtextually paying an ode to this bygone era which created some of the pulpy cinema in the history of Indian cinema. Anil Wadhwa, known as ‘The Crime King’ of Bollywood, belongs to this crop of filmmakers. His films fall into the grey zone of human morality and crime, seamlessly becoming an integral part of the play.
Saanp Seedhi Is Shubhrajyoti Barat’s Foray Into The Thriller Genre
Shubhrajyoti Barat has been the disciple of Sabyasachi Deb Burman and Chetan Datar, who have shaped him into the director we see today. To bring more flavour to the heartland, he has added cinematic elements, psychological twists, and a spectacle worth witnessing when these two men go at loggerheads with each other.
Apart from this directorial venture, he has been part of some of the most interesting theatre projects like Dhumrapaan, Puraane Chawaal, and Kaumudi.
Through each season, Aadyam Theatre has pushed the envelope by staging thought-provoking plays and platforming diverse voices in the Indian theatre scene. This season features five distinct plays, each offering a unique story and vision, showcasing a rich diversity of themes and perspectives, running through the year till September 2025.
