Director : Amol Shriram Deshmukh
Writer : Molière
Group : Department of Theatre, Pune
Language : Hindustani
Duration : 80 mins.
Date : 31 Jan. 2025
Play : Kanjoos
Kanjoos is a Hindi adaptation of Moliere’s famous play “The Miser” and is performed by the First Year Theatre Students of Dept. of Theatre MIT-ADT University. Kanjoos is a comedy that centres on the character of Mirza Baig, a wealthy but miserly man, who is obsessed with hoarding his money. The play critiques greed and its destructive effects on both personal relationships and society. Mirza’s extreme miserliness leads him to neglect his family, including his children, who are in love with people their father disapproves as they are not financially well-off. Mirza’s miserliness leads to comedic situations, misunderstandings, and conflicts as he attempts to marry off his daughter to a wealthy but older suitor and his son to an aged woman only to avoid spending anything from his fortune. The play uses farce and slapstick humour to expose the absurdities of excessive greed, with Mirza’s character serving as a symbol of human folly.
The production Kanjoos is based on the adaptation of the play, ‘The Miser’, published by Vani Prakashan, New Delhi. It remains one of Molière’s most performed and enduring works, exploring themes of money, selfishness, and family dynamics with wit and sharp social commentary.
