India-wide release,16th January 2025: Aadyam Theatre, a pioneering live storytelling initiative by Aditya Birla Group to preserve the immortal craft of theatre, is back with its seventh season. The season brings back the allure of tales with some of the most prolific theatre personalities breathing new life into them. Following the thundering success of Atul Kumar’s adaptation of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,’ Purva Naresh is all set to bring ‘White Nights’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky, to the Indian stage with ‘Chandni Raatein’. The debut in Mumbai is set to take place on February 1st and February 2nd, 2025, at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, followed by the second run on February 15th and February 16th, 2025, at Nehru Centre Auditorium. The theatrical presentation will finally be brought to Delhi at the Kamani Auditorium on March 1st and 2nd, 2025.
‘White Nights’ has mesmerised cine-goers and readers alike with its tragic yet formidable storytelling through various reimaginings for celluloid in German, French, Italian, and other languages. Purva Naresh, one of the prominent voices in the Indian theatre scene, will resurrect this story of love through the four nights, for the first time, on the Indian stage at a larger scale.
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s groundbreaking literary work explores the rare phenomenon of St. Petersberg’s transient darkness, where the city experiences longer days and shorter nights. The narrative follows the protagonist, lost in a city full of known faces. As he wanders on the streets of the city, he becomes enchanted by the beauty of a woman. Despite the bleakness and engulfing darkness in the air, a love story emerges, and the two find light in each other.
Purva Naresh’s interpretation infuses a new perspective into this iconic story with cultural resonance and a good blend of emotions and humour. The story spans four nights, each exploring different perspectives—the deewana, the deewani, the man she yearns for, and a silent spectator who sees more than meets the eye. The adaptation uncovers the intricate layers of love, longing, and fate’s unexpected turn, breathing moments of warmth and comedy. Set on the backdrop to one of India’s most celebrated and ancient forms of storytelling, the genre-bending adaptation of ‘Chandni Raatein’ will promise to enthral the audience with its emotional nuances, laughter, and celebration of love’s transcendental power.
Through this multifaceted drama, Purva will bring the other characters in the story to the forefront, along with the protagonists. Her flair for dabbling into the varied complexities of human life will be seen with one of the most complex human emotions, love, being the central theme. The song and dancing, along with a multi-genre fusion, will take us through the gamut of emotions, setting the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime experience of the literary masterpiece into a larger-than-life visual treat.
Purva Naresh is taking forward the rich legacy of female playwrights in India. The director has brought forward some of the most important stories from the heartland to the stage. Her notable plays, namely Zoon: Noor Kashmir Ka and Bandish 20-20,000 Hz, deal with the complexities of political and gender issues in the country. For her, the voices of marginalised communities and women matter, and her stories echo and represent them in the most innovative forms of the craft.
The play also boasts a stellar array of actors starring in the adaptation. Mantra Mugdh (Rashmi Rocket, Tum Mile, Panipat) and Girija Oak Godbole (Taare Zameen Par, Jawan, Qala) will be the leading faces. Danish Husain (Tiger 3, Delhi Crime, Dasvi), Anamika Tiwari (3rd October, Rangbaaz, Bastar: The Naxal Story), Kaustav Sinha (Rocket Boys, Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi Hai), Trupti Khamkar (Tumhari Sulu, The White Tiger, Zombivli), Girish Sharma (Scoop, Scam 2003, City Of Dreams), Shimlli Basu, and Subhashree Sahoo will also be seen in prominent roles.
Talking about the adaptation of Dostoevsky’s celebrated novella, Purva Naresh said, “For me, theatre is the medium that will always remain relevant even in the worst adversities that humankind will face. Aadyam Theatre has helped to keep this spirit of the indomitable craft alive with over six successful seasons. I have always felt a sense of joy and liberation when I was writing and directing a play for Aadyam. With ‘Chandni Raatein,’ I want to celebrate love and its transcendental nature even in times of darkness. I chose it to adapt into a musical because we Indians love to sing in grief and joy. However, I have not restricted it to just a genre, as every emotion unfolds through various formidable means of storytelling. I hope this universally renowned story receives love in India, and the audience cherishes this jubilant experience.”