You are my Soniya

For aficionados of the stage kind, this one doesn’t hold much novelty. But even if you’ve savoured the creative juices flowing through Salim Arif’s Aapki Soniya — a sequel to the iconic theatrical presentation, Tumhari Amrita — there’s someone who packs in it enough freshness every time the play hits the drama circles. Veteran actor Farooque Sheikh, who has long romanced both, still oozes with enthusiasm as he says, “Aapki… has managed to keep up the emotional momentum set by Tumhari… It’s complete in itself.”

The play has Sheikh working with actress Sonali Bendre. Though he finds her as earnest a Soniya as Shabana Azmi an Amrita, he doesn’t rule out comparisons. “Besides the format of progression that has the protagonists take their relationship forward through the exchange of letters, there’s nothing similar between the two plays,” he adds.

Also, the star of films like Noorie and Chashme Buddoor, is content doing one play at a time. “I can’t work in quick succession. I’ve always worked on one project at a time. Also, I’m a little lazy,” confesses Sheikh, who may work in a new play and a film by next year. And what about film direction? “It doesn’t arouse my enthusiasm,” he says.

Aapki Soniya is being staged today at Satya Sai Auditorium, Lodhi Road at 6 pm by Saksham & Al noor Charitable Trust.