Be-Loved: Theatre, Music, Queerness and Ishq!

We have always known love to be a private affair; kiss inside your homes; don't hold hands in public, and many other strictures that act as love mandates! Only gods aren't censured if they dare to love in public; they even have a legion of myths around their legendary loves and are worshipped for them.

The expressions of love vary for each of us, and so do the opinions on whom one can love. But can one plan love? Can one hide love forever?

Where we flaunt our public and private partnerships everywhere else, there is horror at the sight of public displays of partnerships, which are supposed to be private. What Be-loved reminds me through its course is that loving is and always has been a heavenly act, regardless of who does it to whom. Love is what makes us human, love is what brings us together, and more importantly, love is what keeps us together.

Be-loved represents a spectrum of love through glorious writing weaved in a musical web—one you would want to stay trapped in. It makes every single one of its viewers feel in a safe space. Nonchalantly breaking the myths and stereotypes about queerness, Be-loved represents the whole spectrum of identities that transcend the boundaries of class and gender. It emphasises, over and over again, that queerness is not an urban and elite phenomenon; queerness and queer people also exist outside the spaces generally considered queer, and out of the confines of our prejudiced minds.

Be-loved is a spectacle. With all its colourful costumes, thumping sounds, dramatic movements and vibrant characters, Sapan Saran's direction makes every bit of the play personal for the audience. The nuances of every character bring out a different emotion and make you confront the prejudices and judgements that live deep within yourself. Be-loved is however more than just a social commentary on queer issues, it is a commentary on relationships, friendships, livelihoods and all other basics that queer folks navigate on a daily basis.

An ensemble performance which takes your heart away and leaves you wanting more at the break of every act, Be-loved will take you on a ride with imaginative poetry from T.S Elliot to Josh Mallihabadi. It will make you smile and make you cry. More importantly, it will make every single one of its viewers feel at 'home'.

Be-loved, directed by Sapan Saran, and produced by the Tamaasha Theatre, will be performed on Mar 16, 2025 in Sri Ram Centre Auditorium at the 20th Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (https://metawards.com/). Tickets are live on bookmyshow.com and on the META website. Book before they sell out!