Bitter truth as yet unspoken

Neharika Mathur

Lushin Dubey has certainly grown as an actress. She's now started to "reflect more and do things which are meaningful. I don't care if there are only 20 people sitting in the audience". Lushin is working on a solo play called Bitter Chocolate which dealt with child sexual abuse. "Rampant but very seldom talked about," she points out.

She has another ace up her sleeve. She's working on making her earlier solo play, Untitled which dealt with women's issues, into a movie: Lushin gives us the details, "We start shooting in mid-February. It's-not going to be a solo performance any longer. Avijit butt, who's directing it, is in the throes of casting right now. I just hope I am still in the film!"

Ayesha Shroff is going to do do the financing and they plan to show the 30 minutes film at various film festivals.

Lushin's got great hopes for Bitter Chocolate; Director and scriptwriter Arvind Gaur has decided to turn it into a multimedia production. Two screens are going to show scenes featuring Lushin (many of which have already been shot) while she acts on stage. "There's going to be a certain amount of interaction between the actress on stage and the film in the background. We're not trying to be didactic. But it'll certainly disturb audiences, is all Gaur is ready to say at the moment.

They show six cases from Pinks Virani's book of the same name (yes, Lushin's bought over the rights of the book) over the 55 minute presentation. " We've decided to work through perspectives to deal with this highly sensitive issue. 

We're going to show what happens through the perspective to the mother, the police inspector, the lawyer, anyone connected with the victim," Lushin explains. "And we'll bake it as we go along: That Is the beauty of creating experimental drama. There's no one set pattern."

The duo has a lot to say about the play's theme. "It's disgusting that a child is not safe even with his or her own family and loved ones. When I talked to Pinks, she said prevention was better than cure. The best way to ensure prevention is by spreading awareness," says Lushin. "In a survey conducted by the NGO Sakshi, people were asked to relate- their first sexual experience. There was complete' silence.

Then how can a child, who has no clue what has happened with him or her, be expected to speak out?" asks Gaur.

The play, sponsored by Council fail Social Development, will be staged on January 16 and 17 at 7:30pm at the India Habitat Centre Basement Theatre.