Play: Unfaithfully Yours
Director: Raell Padamsee
Duration: 110 minutes
Cast: Rohit Roy and Mona Singh
Language: English
Rating: 4 stars

Whether it’s movies, television or theatre, every once in a while, you will witness a love story, which will make you go weak in the knees and restore your faith in true, unconditional love. Just as Diwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, one of Bollywood’s most popular romance films of all time completes 20 years, in the same spirit, theatre personality Raell Padamsee comes out with this generation’s love saga. Titled Unfaithfully Yours, it is about a couple, who meet, get attracted to each other, slowly fall in love and eventually have a long-lasting relationship that spans a glorious 25 years. The only hitch – they are happily married, but not to each other. Yes, this is a story of a sizzling extra-marital affair.

But wait a minute. How can a story about two cheating spouses be termed a ‘love saga’? Well, it can, if it is cutesy, tender, has oodles of romance and most importantly, is realistic. Akash (Rohit Roy) and Preet (Mona Singh), happily married to their respective spouses, have a one-night stand at a wedding they both attend. Right from their first tryst, which stems from lust, they sense an unpalpable chemistry and decide to have a rendezvous every year, at the same time, same place. But what starts off as a sexual relationship, eventually turns into a deep, emotional one. On the one weekend that they meet every year, the two don’t just share a bed, but even their life, dreams, hopes and more.

It’s never easy to generate any sympathy for an adulterous relationship, without hating the people involved. But in this play, you root for Akash and Preet and enjoy their being together – and that’s mainly because of the chemistry Rohit Roy and Mona Singh share. The director’s job was half done when she came up with this pairing! The two share a comfortable vibe and look great on stage together. Singh, whose character is vivacious, has all the punch lines and debuts on stage with this play. Needless to say, just like her TV roles, she owns this one too. Roy as the flawed hero is adorable.

The production values are typical of what you would expect from a Raell Padamsee production – an elaborate set and great costumes. What’s amiss: The actors are shown growing old; unfortunately, no matter how hard they try, they just don’t and feel the part in the second half.

If you want a hatke romcom, this one is definitely recommended. A piece of advice: Don’t watch it with your spouse. But if you really have to, try not to show them how much you are enjoying it!