Zee Theatre’s teleplay ‘Kaand’ unfolds against the backdrop of a setting where abductions, rapes and gender crimes are common. The play is set in Delhi, the national capital and follows two policemen as they combat the monsters that roam the streets while battling the more dangerous demons within. The Akarsh Khurana directorial is screened on Tata Play Theatre, stars Taaruk Raina in a key role.  Says he, “The plot is about personal demons that co-exist with social evils. It can be emotionally exhausting to work in an intense play like this but the craft eventually becomes a part of muscle memory.  It also helps when fellow actors demonstrate by example how to tackle  a story as complex as this one.”

As an artist and a socially aware person, he also learnt a lot from the narrative and says, “The characters, what they go through, their suffering and resilience showed me that everything is transient in life. The play also depicts that today everyone is dispensable. No matter what happens and how big a tragedy may be, life goes on, and people move on. ‘Kaand’  also underscores what we already know. That woman should be able to feel safe at every point and at all times, not as a privilege, but as a matter of course. Safety is  something  basic and fundamental and they should not have to struggle for it.”

As a performer, Taaruk enjoys the stage more and says, “Theatre by far is the most rewarding experience and the camera simply doesn’t nourish the actor within, the same way. That being said, one isn’t easier than the other.  On stage, you can get away with a minor misstep but on camera, you can’t as it captures every little detail.  At the same time, the stage doesn’t offer you a second chance while you can correct yourself multiple times during filming.”

‘Kaand’ is directed by  Akarsh Khurana and stars  Shubhrajyoti Barat, Abhay Joshi, Nidhi Singh, Lisha Bajaj,  Ghanshyam Lalsa,  Navendra Mishra and Adhir Bhat.