For a year, Amol Parashar has been travelling across the country with Besharam Aadmi, his one-man show that examines themes of masculinity and gender roles. Now, the show is set to go international. On April 11, it will open in London. Over a call, an excited Parashar told mid-day, “My show is not exactly stand-up, it’s a different format. I have a feeling this story will work more in London than here.”
Why so? Because the story — directed by Vijay Ashok Sharma — involves a couple, household chores, and the absence of domestic help. He reasoned, “When we did this show in India, people asked me, ‘Does the couple not have a house help?’ But it’s the reality for many couples outside India. My friends living abroad don’t have domestic help. In fact, I know a few people who returned to India because they couldn’t manage so much work. So, people there will relate to it.”
By telling the story of a man who feels uncomfortable putting his wife’s bra out to dry, in front of his parents, Besharam Aadmi also explores the cultural difference between young couples and their parents. “You can’t do it in front of your mother [despite considering] yourself progressive. So, it’s introspective humour,” he added.
April 11
When the show will open at The Bhavan in London
