A scene from the play Hum Dono staged at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra . Picture by Eastern Projections

The eternal equations between a man and a woman have been beautifully portrayed by nationally-acclaimed actor-director Dinesh Thakur in Hum Dono, a Hindi adaptation of Russian playwright Aleksei Arbuzov’s Old World.

Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra staged Thakur’s play Hameshaa which, too, has the basic theme same though treatment-wise they differ in mood.

As the name suggests, Hum Dono is a tale of love in the autumn of life.

Set against a typical urban setting, a man and a woman come close to each other to share the warmth of life just when they are sinking in hopelessness.

Their contrasting nature result in a chemistry that neither can ignore and they discover a new world when December was about to engulf their lives.

Dr Harpreet Singh, a widower whose only daughter stays in Bangalore and hardly keeps in touch with her father, finds an ideal soulmate in Sarita Champaklal Desai. She is separated from her first husband and her only son died long back. She works for a circus troupe as cashier and so she has to stay away from her second husband.

Sarita comes to stay in a sanatorium where the doctor works as chief of staff. Dr Singh is an introvert, with virtually no contact with any relative or friend. Sarita is talkative and is full of life.

The physician discovers that Sarita has no contact with her husband. Sarita, too, realises that the doctor is a loner. They develop an interest in each other and attraction turns to passion.

The use of Samsad Begum’s haunting melody Abhi to Mein Jawan Hoon lifts the play to a new height.

The most significant aspect of the entire production is the superb acting by both Dinesh Thakur and Preeta Mathur Thakur.

Dinesh, known as one of country’s most powerful stage actors, was unmatched in essaying the role of an aged Dr Singh — a character withdrawn from the din and bustle of life and indifferent to emotions and sentiments.

The character of Sarita, a Gujarati woman, is more complex. In sharp contrast to the doctor, she overcomes personal tragedy and is always willing to share others’ pain and sufferings.

Preeta, with her immense acting prowess, puts up a brilliant performance which few can match.