Last Sunday, on a rainy evening, Boston welcomed veteran actors Anupam Kher and Swaroop Sampat in the theatre production Jaane Pahchane Anjane.
The play explored loneliness across different age groups. In a world where we have so many ways to communicate, why are so many people still lonely?
Anupam Kher is a seasoned actor, and so is Swaroop Sampat. They both rocked the stage as two neighbors who unexpectedly meet later in life. He is a widower, and she is a widow. Their children live far away, and they are left to manage life on their own. Both are lonely.
As they get to know each other, the play shows how companionship can sometimes become more important than a relationship label.
The story also brings in other relationships and different generations. A wife shares the sad story of how her husband never really took care of her, leaving her lonely even within her marriage. A middle-aged woman walks out of her marriage in search of happiness, but doesn't find what she hoped for. And then there is a young girl in a relationship that isn't fulfilling for her.
Through these stories, the director brings together different generations and relationships, showing how loneliness can become a part of life, regardless of age or relationship status.
Before heading to the theatre, I stopped to visit a mother who lived just a mile from the venue.
The visit turned out to be a beautiful and comforting experience. She welcomed me with so much love and treated me like Durga in her life as It was the beginning of Navratri.. I left her home feeling warm and appreciated. And then I went to watch this emotionally heavy play.
On the drive back home, another hour through the rainy night, I found myself thinking about the stories I had just watched. The characters felt so relatable. I hear so many stories from people about loneliness, about feeling disconnected even in this busy world, and about relationships that don't necessarily offer companionship.
The play made me think. And honestly, I found myself asking: Knowing what I know now, would I watch it again?
I'm not sure.
It was a powerful play, and the performances were wonderful. But it was also heavy, because the loneliness portrayed on stage wasn't unfamiliar. These are stories we hear around us, sometimes from people we know and sometimes from people who never speak about their loneliness at all.
Perhaps that is what stayed with me the most. We live in a world full of communication, yet genuine companionship can be hard to find.
I began the evening with a visit that left me feeling loved and connected. I ended it with a play that made me think about how many people are still searching for that very feeling.
Maybe what we all need isn't more ways to communicate, but more moments of genuine human connection.
A banarasi celebrating Durgpooja at a friends home, My very Jaane Pahchane friend.
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