Mumbai: Juhi Babbar Soni, renowned for her theatre group Ekjute, founded by her parents Raj Babbar and Nadira Babbar is set to mark a milestone seldom seen in today's screen-dominated digital era. On 28 June, at Sheila Gopal Raheja Auditorium in Bandra, Juhi and her troupe will proudly present their 100th performance of "With Love, Aap ki Saiyaara". This captivating narrative delves into the diverse identities of contemporary Indian women.
The play features Juhi narrating the journey of Saiyaara through her book that Saiyaara has written. In the play, the book itself is titled "With Love, Aap ki Saiyaara."
Based on a character conceived by Nadira Zaheer Babbar, the play is written, directed, and performed by Juhi Babbar Soni herself, "With Love, Aap ki Saiyaara" portrays Saiyaara as not just a character but a symbol of resilience, determination, and aspiration. The play, spanning 100 uninterrupted minutes, invites audiences to join Saiyaara on her introspective journey, described by acclaimed poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar as "Behad umda performance hai Juhi ki. Yeh play bahut kuchh ehsaas dilaata hai." (Juhi's performance is exceptional. This play evokes many emotions.)
Juhi has also tried a few innovative approaches that have caught everybody’s attention for this feel-good play. For example Saiyaara’s sweet and spicy take on ‘men, marketing and mores’, which is conveyed in a conversational approach with the gallery, making the audience a part of the performance!
Veteran actor Anupam Kher, couldn’t help but praise Juhi’s command over her language during the superb dialogue delivered in the play, “(It is a) Fantastic performance, beautifully written play and Juhi's command of the language is amazing!”
Expressing her joy and gratitude, Juhi Babbar Soni said, “I am very happy and deeply grateful to my audience for their unwavering support and love. This milestone wouldn't have been possible without them.”
Interestingly, Juhi initiated the play with an online performance during the lockdown and successfully transitioned it to the stage post-pandemic.
28th June show would be the remarkable 100th show within just 30 months of the play being performed in 35 plus cities in India and 5 cities in London.
