Murderwale Kulkarni Natak Review:
Marathi Play Murderwale Kulkarni is, a high on entertainment, testament of Vaibhav Mangle’s comic timing and energy!
Plot:
A happy go lucky college principal, Madhav Kulkarni, accidentally watches a live murder on the street! What follows is a complete riotous change in his life!
Runtime: 2 hours (Two Act Play)
Team:
Director – Santosh Pawar
Writer – Jayant Upadhyay
Set Design – Sandesh Bendre
Music – Ashutosh Waghmare
Cast – Vaibhav Mangle, Vikas Chavan, Nimish Kulkarni, Sukanya Kaalan, Bhargavi Chirmule
Detailed Review:
A comedy of errors cooked with a blend of a pinch of drama, a spoonful of thrill and a truckload of laughter, MURDERWALE KULKARNI, brings back Vaibhav Mangle to his A-game. Written by Jayant Upadhyay and Directed by Santosh Pawar, this two-act play has everything you need to have a super fun time.
Nirmitee Sawant introduces us to a world where Murderwale Kulkarni lives and breathes. The play starts with a typical romantic banter between Mr and Mrs Kulkarni (Vaibhav Mangle and Bhargavi Chirmule). Suddenly Mr Kulkarni hears a crowd fighting just outside his apartment. He rushes down to see what the fuss is all about when Mrs Kulkarni hears three gunshots. Mr Kulkarni rushes back to his apartment and is shocked to have seen a murder live!
Dripped in blood Mr and Mrs Kulkarni try to devise a plan to stay away from all of it. But a reporter shows up for an interview of Mr Kulkarni as he is the sole spectator of the event. She very casually stamps him with the nickname Murderwale Kulkarni!
This is where the play picks up speed and energy as the police officer Maanmode (Vikas Chavan) too enters his apartment for investigation! Things escalate and Mr and Mrs Kulkarni try to shield themselves from running into trouble and start lying about the events of the murder. Their lives turn into a riot!
More people start showing up at Kulkarni’s house but revealing that would just spoil the play for you! A slow start might bug you, but the next 40-50 minutes of the first act will make you jump out of your seat and die of laughter literally. And again, it rushes to the climax very quickly and fails the litmus test of ending it on a high.
Vaibhav Mangle’s energy and comic timing are pure gold! That man also has the voice like a god. The way he breaks into ragas and hums, his dialogues occasionally is a treat! Bhargavi Chirmule as Mrs Kulkarni stands tall and manages to be as energetic and funny as Vaibhav. Their camaraderie and banter are enough reason to give this one a watch. Rest of the cast also have significant roles and they too don’t disappoint.
The dialogues are witty and smart. Most of the jokes seem like improvisations. The direction by Santosh Jadhav lacks depth and intensity. Concluding the play with a rushed climax and even the distinct nature of both the halves is a proof for it. Where the first half is funny, hilarious and entertaining, the second half feels uncooked. A random lavni performance by Sukanya feels unwanted. Many such moments could have been polished more. The set design is really ordinary and doesn’t have anything special. The music is bang on. The title track will stay with you for a long long time.
Deep within the comic folds of Murderwale Kulkarni, a profound message subtly weaves its way to captivate hearts. The play artfully imparts the notion that amidst life’s blunders, redemption is an ever-present prospect. It nudges the spectators to ponder over the prospect of correcting bygones, gently echoing that life’s path is laden with unforeseen twists, and opportunities for transformation are ever-present.
You can definitely give it a watch for Vaibhav Mangle’s performance but again it is also something you haven’t seen before!
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