|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 18 May 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Stormed An enigmatic Pradip Rao and comedian Vikram Sathaye, who extended a comical binding to Rao's presentation engulfed in mystery. Apart, they kept audiences spellbound together at a recent dinner hosted by General Manager of Taj Samudra, Colombo Praveen Nair. by Prasad Abu Bakr Unexplainable by any standards is what Pradip Rao unfolds in the presence of his audience. An eloquent speaker he presents his case with a knack to blindfold anybody without his or her knowledge. At one moment you think that you are in a den of a make believe magician and in the next you suspect him to be making use of the cocktails, which were many, that has already invaded your system and swinging your 'MYND' as he spells it out. But in fact there is nothing of the sort to it. It all happened one after the other as he opened his bag of 'amusing stories' that puzzled you and kept one spellbound for the next sixty minutes. When I met him the next day at the Taj lobby, the `mind reading pundit' was all a warm and friendly soul trying to stretch the hours wide enough to accommodate me and take his family out for some last minute looking around the city, to which they were visitors for the first time but his third. A Chartered Accountant by profession, a designation which he takes seriously and practices his pranks on prestigious audiences only when time permits to do so. According to him it takes around 4 hours for him to prepare himself before he can appear on stage for the performance, but as one meets him over conversation the fact that Rao can sit around planning for 4 hours to trick an unsuspecting audience becomes more remote probably because he sheds the mystery and only brings along his charismatic self which includes a smart speaking, charming gentleman. The man who added the tail end of satire to Rao's mind boggling head start that evening was Vikram Sathaye, a versatile stand up comedian whose sassy presentation of other peoples personas can give you a gripe as he came on immediately after dinner but also helps to digest even the heaviest in lighter vein. Sathaye a media marketer by profession who specializes in imitating his fellow cricketers and the others of the rest of the world at large, draws into his act a few outsiders such as politicians and commentators to complete his act. Bollywood the `tinsel tarnished' Indian film city plays a special segment to his presentation on stage but most of the dialogue is in Hindi which was a little puzzling for local audiences. The most impressive thing when he imitates somebody is that he kind of does a total caricature. Not only the appearance is important to Sathaye he almost swallows up the person whom he is imitating and does a wonderful job of that. [not the swallowing-up]. Sathaye has performed in many shows mostly connected with cricket events. Levi's dockers quiz with presenter Harsha Bhogle, Sony Max world cup launches with Kapil Dev are two amongst many others he has to his credit. He has visited Sri Lanka before on similar work and it is during such a visit that General Manager Nair asked him to perform at the Taj Samudra. The satirist whose father is an air pilot and has a classical musician for a mother is an out going and friendly man who has that whimsical look in his eyes upon meeting him, that give the all important ingredient which goes to make a comedian who can give a wholesome performance. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
