Lushin Dubey, actress and theatre artist, gives voice to Aruna Shanbaug in Aruna’s Story, performing 18 different characters, solo, for over an hour. The play narrates the story of Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital, and the tragic events of the assault on her. Directed by theatre director Arvind Gaur, the play is based on the book of the same name by Mumbai-based journalist and writer Pinki Virani, who had followed Shanbaug’s case since 1982 and filed a plea for passive euthanasia for her.
The play portrays Shanbaug as a young girl from Haldipur, full of big dreams and aspirations that were tragically taken from her too soon. “Aruna’s story was very gripping—the book—and I was determined not to show her as a crumpled victim. I wanted to show her as the sprightly, intelligent, very ambitious girl from Haldipur, a little village near Konkan in Karnataka,” says Dubey. She describes Shanbaug as a hardworking, no-nonsense girl with big dreams of studying abroad, and love for Hindi music —until tragedy struck. “Deep in my bones, I felt there are people who want to see what is happening in the world. What humanity is doing to humanity? We have to have a mirror.”
The play draws a parallel between Shanbaug and today’s working women, highlighting their resilience in the face of challenges. Dubey reflects, “When I think of the incident in Kolkata, it disturbs me; it’s still happening. This is why Aruna’s story remains so relevant.”
Working with Gaur
Dubey had wanted to do Aruna’s Story years ago but couldn’t, as the rights had already been sold. When Pinki Virani reached out to her again, Dubey felt the case needed revisiting. She partnered with director Arvind Gaur, with whom she has collaborated on multiple projects over the past 20 years, including Untitled and Bitter Chocolate. She describes their collaboration as perfectly in sync, like “two wheels of a carriage.”
She appreciates how he allows her the freedom to perform on stage, saying, “For any actor to truly connect with their character, they must follow their instincts. You own your role and lines. If I improvise or do something spontaneously, and it feels real, he’ll never stop me. When I see the smile on his face, I know I’m moving in the right direction.”
Theatre and activism
Dubey has always tackled a variety of subjects in her theatrical work. She previously worked on Bitter Chocolate, a play based on Pinki Virani’s book, and I Will Not Cry, which addresses healthcare issues for women and children, both directed by Arvind Gaur.
She explains theatre as a form of activism, encouraging people to turn their attention to those in need of help and support. Dubey shares how she has witnessed audience members volunteering to assist by filling out forms related to support for victims. For her, Aruna’s Story became a way to advocate for women’s safety.
She expressed a desire to find an answer to her audience’s question about how to deal with perpetrators and what psychological help could be offered to those struggling. Dubey believes that theatre provides a platform for change, and that the performance extends beyond the stage, never remaining stagnant. “I do believe that if I keep doing this — having panel discussions, involving the audience and change-makers — something can be done. It’s not something illusory for me.”
Connecting with audience
Dubey aims to move her audience, saying, “If people return to watch the play again, it means something was stirred inside them. In Mumbai, the police commissioner, who had seen me in my earlier solo, came again, and even the Nirbhaya squad attended Aruna’s Story.
Dubey describes her solo acting experience as requiring immense concentration and focus. “I can’t lose it in the middle. I have to feel the whole journey and be in the moment. The journey is incomplete without the audience travelling along with me.” She adds that to keep the audience engaged, the actor must sense their pulse, saying, “It’s my job to deliver, with the audience being part of the whole. I can’t be detached from them. I need to be in sync, and they have to journey with me.”
For Dubey, performing Aruna’s Story has only ignited her determination to continue creating impactful productions. She believes that society values her work, which in turn reinforces her conviction to keep pursuing projects with deep social relevance. This experience has strengthened her belief in the power of theatre to spark change and resonate with audiences.