Gautam Raja's play The Invisible River

I’m a sucker for a good story. Especially a love story. Be it Titanic, Love Actually or Notting Hill, it’s love that makes my heart turn a pleasant shade of pink. Which is why I am all pepped up about playwright Gautam Raja’s The Invisible River. Love is all over this original play.

There’s love between scientist Uma (the catalyst) and Dr Thyagu (the protagonist). There’s also Uma’s love for her work and Thyagu’s love for his — which is about cleaning up the Ganga. But when Uma declares that the Ganga has certain viruses called bacteriophages that purify its waters, it threatens Thyagu’s campaign to stop people from polluting the river.

Adding to the central drama — will science and religion join hands for the first time? — are opportunist politicians, murky priests and street-smart urchins.

In sneak peeks, I loved the way the play uses projections of the river (specially edited from the film Jayaganga) whenever the characters on stage remember their past. But the scene-stealer is Padma madam (played by Sukhita Aiyar), the power-hungry politician from Allahabad who tries to use the situation to her own maximum advantage.

Game for love actually?

The Invisible River by Jagriti Theatre, Bangalore, and Theatre Royal Plymouth, UK. On March 8 at 7.30pm and March 9 at 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Ranga Shankara. Tickets: Rs 110. Book now by sms-ing your name, number and date/time of performance to 9740657191.