The Interview - Play Review

Still from 'the Interview' by Akvarious Productions

Play: ‘The Interview’ by Akvarious Productions

Language: English

Duration: 80 minutes

Writer: Siddharth Kumar

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Cast: Karan Pandit, Kashin Shetty, Prerna Chawla, Siddharth Kumar & Adhaar Khurana

Rating: 6.2 / 10 (See Rating Chart below)

‘The Interview’ has received a lot of hype and accolades. However, the play does not come close to expectations. The story is, as the name suggests, about a job interview, which has several humorous and grim moments. When the candidate (Karan Pandit,) first enters the boss’ (Kashin Shetty) cabin, he is asked the most basic question ‘Tea or coffee’. But even this question is not as straight-forward as it sounds. The candidate is made to subject himself to a polygraph machine, and asked a series of questions. Every set of dialogues begins with the boss asking a seemingly regular question and then twisting the candidate’s responses. The line of inquiry leads to some embarrassing and intimate questions.

The candidate refuses to give up as he desperately needs the money (so much so that he is ready to orally gratify the boss). Occasionally, the boss leaves the candidate with a colleague and/or his secretary (Prerna Chawla) with whom the boss is having an affair.
Prerna Chawla often faces the audience and tidies herself up as if looking at a mirror. The emphasis on her attractive features is no doubt to make the audience relate to the Boss’s predicament. [Tip for tharki guys: Sit at the front seat, stage-right]

Karan Pandit and Kashin Shetty, both of whom won awards for their performance in this play, displayed an amateur-level of acting. Oddly, it was Adhaar Khurana, who had played a minor role, who delivered the most realistic performance.

There are many humorous moments and well-delivered punch-lines.The lighting, costumes and stage design were necessarily dull and grim, in accordance with the over-all theme. However, soundtrack was way off. The play starts with ‘Que Sera, Sera’ and even the music at the climax does not seem to fit.

In conclusion, you may skip this play. Character development was unrealistic. Script does not keep you glued to the seat and for that reason you will often find your attention being diverted. I think the Interview first came out when there was a depression in the quality of theatre. But there are many better plays out there, which you should rather watch.

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Rating Chart:
1.0-2.9: Torture.
3.0-5.5: Waste of time.
5.6-6.9: Decent. But can be skipped.
7.0-7.9: Good. 
8.0-8.6: Great! Don't miss it.
8.7-10:  You can miss the birth of your child for this. This is a greater miracle.