After four months of in-depth research, soul searching and rehearsal, Indian actor Joy Sengupta was ready to give audiences a peek into the inner soul of the "Mahatma". "I wanted to capture the human being that Gandhi was, not the epic figure we all know," he says of his role
as Mahatma Gandhi in the play Sammy! The Incredible Journey of Mahatma Gandhi. "The idea was to allow people to understand the average man he was like you and me; someone you would feel able to emulate." The play, opening in Auckland this week, traces the transformation of the young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi from a na1?ve, tongue-tied lawyer into a shrewd politician and, finally, a Mahatma or Great Soul, and recounts his story from his earliest days in South Africa to his assassination. Sengupta has portrayed Gandhi at sell-out shows around the globe - Dubai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Brussels and Antwerp, New York, Boston, Stamford, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston and the UK. Now here. Despite what he says was a bumpy start on stage at the age of 5, the Delhi University English Literature graduate has managed to distinguish himself. His recent achievements include the Best Actor in Theatre national award at the Mahindra Excellence Awards last year. Sengupta says his parents were against his theatre ambitions, viewing acting as a hobby rather than a viable profession. But they've softened and are now most supportive. He's adamant his dad - his biggest critic - was instrumental in his choice of career. "I always remember dad saying: 'Happy is he whose hobby is his profession'. Little did he know that it planted the seed for me to pursue my dreams as an actor."
Sammy! The Incredible Journey of Mahatma Gandhi, Sky City Theatre, Aug 31- Sept 1, 8pm. Ticketek, ph 0800 TICKETEK or see www.ticketek.co.nz.
By Sharu Delilkan
