‘Xikloloi Chukta’, a tiatr written and directed by Marques
Pereira focuses on mistrust among
spouses and its dire consequences.
The story revolves around two families,
namely Frank (Quisot D’Cruz) and Siya (Fatima Pereira), Rodney (Andre Fernandes),
his wife Alria (Slenzitta D’Cruz) and teen daughter (Sirha Pereira/Owena
Fernandes). Frank and Siya’s son meets with an accident and chances of survival
are rare. So, they desire to have a grandson in the family before he passes
away. The doctor in the hospital (Leticia Miranda) assures the couple that with
advancement of science and medicine, anything is possible.
On the other hand, Rodney is suffering
from a grievous illness and as he proceeds for duty, Alria reminds him to
collect the medical report from the doctor. Rodney’s friend James (Elister
Pereira) steps in unexpectedly and Alria seeks his timely help.
Meanwhile, Rodney returns home with his
medical report and finds James in his house. Doubts crowd him mind and he
misunderstands his wife. Mistrust develops and continues to grow, drifting the
couple poles apart. Encounter with the family doctor helps Alria to know about
her husband’s grievous illness. As he is suffering from cancer, she panics and
does not know where to go for treatment. She encounters Frank who wishes to be
a good Samaritan, but on one condition.
What is the condition laid down by Frank
before Alria? Will Alria oblige and go ahead with the plan? How does Rodney
react to Alria’s second pregnancy? Where does it lead to? ‘Xiklolo Chukta’ has
a story to relate on mistrust and surrogacy, but confuses the viewer with
regards to the time gap between the accident and surrogate motherhood that
follows thereafter. It carries a good dose of suspense, leaving the viewer to
know more of what follows next. But there was wastage of time in between some
of the acts. The two couples on stage, namely Frank and Siya, Rodney and Alria
give a fine performance. But Rodney looked much older next to Alria, bearing a
fatherly figure to her. Child artistes Sirha Pereira and Owena Fernandes
delivered well. Elister and Maria, besides Leticia as doctor were apt in their
characters. Comedy fell short in the entire drama and it did not find its place
in the story. Piedade Rogtao and Hasler Pereira tried to entertain in the comic
acts, but there was hardly any comedy in the first half.
In
the category of songs, there were a good number of solos, duo, duets, trios,
quartet and choral which were truly entertaining. Solos by Joyson Faleiro and
Raymond Fernandes, duets by Mavlon and Tifa, Slenzitta and Quisot D’Cruz, duo
by Raymond and Elijoy, trios by Joyson, Chiara and Hensel, Mavlon, Raymond and
Elioy, a choral by Tifa, Maria and Anita were appealing. Selwyn Braganza and
his team provided good live music to all the songs.
