In 1986, when playwright Manjula Padmanabhan’s play ‘Lights Out’ opened in Mumbai, it created a sensation because it was based on the eyewitness account of a horrific crime. Seasoned television and OTT star Karanveer Mehra, who stars in a Zee Theatre adaptation of the play, says it is unfortunate that the issues in the narrative raised decades ago are still more relevant than ever before.
He adds, “This teleplay mirrors the fact that when we remain silent, we are complicit in injustice. The fact that many such incidents continue to take place, is very disturbing.”
Manjula Padmanabhan is the first Indian recipient of the International Onassis Prize (1997) and very lucidly portrays how society collectively turns a blind eye to crimes against women. The teleplay unfolds in the apartment of a middle-class couple who have invited some friends over. Their cheerful evening gets disrupted when they overhear an assault in a nearby compound. The events that follow illustrate not just collective apathy but also voyeuristic curiosity.
Mehra says it was shocking to learn that ‘Lights Out’ is not a satire but inspired by a real incident and adds, “Even if the character that I play is fictional, the incident that the story revolves around is not. This teleplay challenges the notion of ‘manhood’ to reveal the moral weakness of men who are not ready to take a stand when things like this happen. People don’t want to be involved in somebody else’s mess and turn to look away because they have a life to run, maybe a family to provide for. However, I hope that the teleplay will awaken the next generation and compel them to take a stand against gender violence.”
The filming director of ‘Lights Out’ is Ritesh Menon, and the teleplay also stars Smiriti Kalra, Sandhya Mridul, Ninad Kamat, Shruti Madhudeep, and Vikram Kochhar.
You can watch the teleplay ‘Lights Out’ on 13th December 2023 on Airtel Theatre, Dish TV Rangmanch Active and D2H Rangmanch Active.
