Mumbai’s theatre scene is buzzing with excitement as veteran actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar makes a triumphant return to the stage after a long hiatus. He’s set to star in the poignant play ‘Animal’, produced by renowned theatre maker Ashwin Gidwani under the AGP World banner.
‘Animal’ delves deep into the human psyche, chronicling the gradual erosion of emotions in a young man’s relentless pursuit of stardom. The protagonist, Dattu, is a simple lad from a small town near Pandharpur in Maharashtra. Bursting with dreams of fame, he lands in Mumbai with just a suitcase and an empty stomach.
Mahesh, who both directs and acts in the play, brings authenticity to Dattu’s journey. ‘I’ve seen this story unfold in the industry firsthand,’ he shares. ‘Dattu isn’t a hero or someone special. He’s an ordinary boy chasing dreams amid hunger pangs. I’ve witnessed thousands like him—some become stars, most fade into shadows.’
What drew Mahesh to the role was Dattu’s innocence, slowly stripped away by the city. ‘Mumbai doesn’t transform him overnight,’ he explains. ‘It chips away through compromises, humiliations, rejections—turning him into a beast, step by step.’
After nine years of meticulous preparation, ‘Animal’ hits the stage. Mahesh opted for realism over glamour, forgoing visuals of Marine Drive or glittering skylines. Instead, the production pulses with Mumbai’s raw sounds: local train announcements, the curt ‘next’ in audition rooms, slamming doors.
The stage is deliberately sparse, mirroring the city’s irony—ample space, yet no room for dreamers. ‘Dattu woos Mumbai like a lover,’ Mahesh muses, ‘but the city judges him like a courtroom.’
This play peels back the glamour of Dream City, exposing the bitter truths beneath. Mahesh Manjrekar’s dual role ensures ‘Animal’ resonates with raw emotion, reminding audiences of the cost of ambition in tinsel town.