Written by Gujarati playwright Vilopan Desai and produced by Jay Joshi, the play was staged in the Washington, DC, area on April 30 and May 1
After nearly three years of Covid-related hiatus, Natya Gurjari, a theater group in the Washington, DC, metro area, presented first two shows of its new comedy “Cash Karo Aish Karo” on April 30 and May 1 at the Kreeger Auditorium in Rockville, MD.
The two-act play, written by prolific Gujarati playwright Vilopan Desai, who has written over a hundred plays, is a highlPlayy entertaining comedy with an underlying meaningful social message. The rib-tickling comedy highlights the plight of a newly married man who gets entangled in numerous tricky social and legal problems while trying to make quick money. His haphazard efforts to solve self-created mess are fraught with many funny blunders, comic fiascos and roaring fun.
Nearly houseful audience on both days thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and enthusiastically appreciated and applauded the play.
Read: Natya Bharati’s ‘Three Sisters’: An Anton Chekhov tale with a distinct ‘desi flavor’ (April 26, 2022)
Accomplished actor, director and producer Jay Joshi directed the play. Prominent community leader Kirit Udeshi and Bharati Joshi were producers. The cast included Kinnari Koradia, Vishal Parikh, Nilay Bhatt, Aj Parikh, Mihir Shah, Chaitali Mirani, Nidhi Shah, Kunjan Butala, Bhavin Parekh and Jay Joshi.
The title song is written by RJ Harsh and Sunil Revar, while music is composed by Sunil Revar. Singers are Keyur Vaghela and Rahul Patel.
Daxa Patel and Romil Kinariwala were stage managers; Mrugesh Patel was a sound manager; Paresh Parekh managed lights; Goldie Manocha did make-up; and Ketul Patel, Raj Shivjiani and Bala Chandran also extended their assistance.
The Shrinathdham Haveli sponsored first two shows of the play and all net proceeds were donated for the charitable cause of the organization. Amit Bhai Shah, Rakesh (Arsy) Shah, Kirit Udeshi, Vijay Bhai Shah and all trustees as well as volunteers of Shrinathdham Haveli worked tirelessly to make the staging of the play a great success.
Amit Bhai Shah, Vijay bhai Shah, Kirit Udeshi and Jay Joshi deeply appreciated exemplary cooperation and support of all involved with this program and expressed desire to continue extending assistance to do more such programs in coming years not only to celebrate Gujarati literature and culture via plays but also to augment cultural awareness to performing arts and further foster unity in the community.
“Cash Karo Aish Karo” is the third full-fledged production of Natya Gurjari, which previously produced two hugely popular plays, “Parnu to Ene J Parnu” and “Khel Khel Ma Agan Khel.”
Founded in 2016, under the leadership of veteran local theater personality Jay Joshi, the primary objective of the group is to provide a platform to showcase talents of local artists who have keen passion for theater.