Play on Khaled Hosseini’s novel set to be staged

Despite being set decades ago, the themes explored in The Kite Runner remain strikingly relevant today, says theatre artiste-director Tahera, who is bringing the play based on the acclaimed novel to the Bengaluru stage this weekend. “Though set in the 1970s and published in the early 2000s, the play’s themes — casteism, classism, and sexuality — are still very relevant today. The story explores friendship, redemption, and betrayal, emotions that resonate on a deeply human level. As the story shows, life is rarely black and white; it’s often gray,” she says. Excerpts:
‘THIS IS A PLAY THAT WILL RESONATE WITH EVERYONE’
Tahera, who acquired the rights to stage The Kite Runner from the original playwright Matthew Spangler, notes its widespread appeal. “The novel is incredibly popular. In many ways, it resembles a Bollywood film, with its father-son conflict, love story, and themes of redemption. So, it has all the elements that resonate with our audiences.” She notes the sensitive content of the play, and says, “Due to graphic depictions of violence, sexual assault, depression, suicide, and strong language, we’ve restricted the play to audiences aged 16 & above.”

‘THEATRE HAS THE POWER TO MOVE PEOPLE’
Ask her about her production process as a director, and Tahera says, “While not a conscious choice, I find myself drawn to movement-heavy pieces and scripts that challenge me to ex- plore subtext.” “In today’s world, maintaining hope and endurance is difficult. But theatre and stories like this remind us to believe in the best of humanity. I hope the audience leaves with a renewed sense of empathy and connection. Theatre has the power to move people and offer them something meaningful to take away,” she adds. Currently, the biggest challenge facing theatre, is securing financial support, notes Tahera. “Theatre benefits all aspects of life, for artistes and audiences alike, but securing funding remains our primary hurdle,” she says.
‘AN ARTISTE FEELS MOST POWERFUL WHEN ON STAGE’
“Theatre’s magnificence lies not in elaborate sets, but in the human presence on stage. Unlike film, it's just a person, their voice, and their ability to connect with the audience. An artiste feels most powerful on stage, stripped of distractions, relying solely on their voice, soul, and mind. It's storytelling in its purest form, an experience unmatched by any other medium,” she says.