Anahita Uberoi, a renowned theatre artist and one of the lead actors of Kaizaad Kotwal’s play Agnes Of God, speaks exclusively to The Quint about the recent religious controversy around the theatre production.
Since September 28th, the play has been facing the threat of being banned, as per the demands of the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), based on the allegation that it ‘offends’ religious sentiments.
Despite the hue and cry around the play’s alleged misrepresentation of Christian beliefs, Agnes Of God was recently staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. The performance unfolded in front of a full house and got a ton of praise from the audience, that comprised people of all faiths. The premiere took place under tight security and well-known theatre personalities such as Shabana Azmi, Quasar Padamsee, Dolly Thakore and Gerson da Cunha, cheered as curtain was raised.
This production is an adaptation of a John Peilmeier original by the same name, and revolves around a psychiatrist, who is investigating Sister Agnes’s claim of being a virgin, despite having given birth.
Anahita Uberoi, who plays Dr Martha Livingston, one of the pivotal characters in the story, says that the idea behind their production is not to offend any religious faith, but only to show the age old debate between science and faith. She encourages people of all faiths to watch the play, and agree or disagree with it freely, but only after having seeing for themselves what it is really about.