Home / Arts and Entertainment / Himani Shivpuri Recalls Petrifying Othello Show
Himani Shivpuri Recalls Petrifying Othello Show
15 May
Summary
- Actress Himani Shivpuri reminisced about performing Othello in Idar, Gujarat.
- She played Desdemona opposite Namdev's Othello in a 1983 production.
- Initial audience fear transformed into appreciation for Shakespeare's poetry.
Veteran Bollywood actress Himani Shivpuri has shared a poignant memory from her theatre career. She revisited her time with the National School of Drama repertory company, recalling a significant performance of Shakespeare's 'Othello'.
The play was staged in Idar, a village in Gujarat, around 1983. Shivpuri portrayed Desdemona, with Namdev playing Othello. The costumes were designed by Dolly Ahluwalia, and Fritz Bennewitz directed the production. Shivpuri admitted to feeling immense fear before the show due to the large audience and the village setting.
However, as the performance progressed, the audience became engrossed in the powerful poetry and narrative of Shakespeare's tragedy. This transformative experience, where initial apprehension gave way to deep appreciation, remains one of Shivpuri's most cherished and humbling theatrical moments.
