"We are targeting a non-Parsi audience too,” actor Danesh Irani informs Parsiana on May 17, 2017 about the National Centre for the Performing Arts’ (NCPA) presentation with Silly Point Productions of Amar Akbar Akoori. "We had two housefull shows on March 21 this year and are now scheduled to have three more,” exults Irani. The first of these took place on May 14, and the second is scheduled on July 2. A date for the third show is being fixed, Irani tells us. The Gujarati play written by Meherzad Patel is meant for all Gujarati-speaking audiences, informs a press release from NCPA. Set in the home of an old Parsi lady who takes in a Gujarati (Danesh Khambata), a Bohri Muslim (Sajeel Parakh) and a Parsi (Irani) as paying guests, the play has the Gujarati and the Muslim trying to pass off for Parsis, as the landlady only wants Parsis in her building! Other Parsis in the cast include Thea Shroff and Ayesha Mehta. The role of the lady who takes in the paying guests, somewhat willy-nilly, is essayed by stage veteran Pheroza Mody. "But Danesh Khambata is the out and out star,” claims Irani. Parsiana was unable to contact the reticent Khambata, who directed Gandhi: the musical recently (see "The Mahatma and the man,” Parsiana, December 7, 2016)
"Look out for Parinaz Jal, who plays Khambata’s sister and Zahan Mehta in another hilarious role that I am not going to tell you much about,” says the exuberant Irani.
Cast of Amar Akbar Akoori