Whos the fairest of them all?

BANGALORE: When was the last time you didn’t squirm looking into your reflection in the mirror? When was the last time you weren’t harsh on yourself just because you didn’t fit into the skinny jeans you have been eyeing for a long time. And what about that fairness cream that just doesn’t seem to work for your complexion, which just isn’t ‘fair’ enough. And what about the glossy hoarding featuring the model you adore, whom you know you can never resemble in this lifetime, because she’s too perfect to be true. On a daily basis, whether we admit or not, these instances rule our life where we grapple with fear and insecurities of losing our youth, beauty and not meeting the unrealistic expectations set by the society. These issues are brought to light in the original play Mirror, Mirror where we witness five individuals at their self-critical best. When they look at their reflections in the mirror, and all hell breaks out. The play is a satirical take on distorted body image issues, and how society and the popular media is propagating this ‘unhealthy view’, we have of ourselves. The performances are laudable as each character manages to convince us in their own way. The dialogues are funny and reminds one of the unassuming lengths an individual can go to please others. At the same time, you empathise with them, as you would have been in their shoes at some point in your own lives. The settings are simple and yet manages to send across a strong message. One of the characters in the play is that of a fading actress of silver screen who is scared of ageing and fears that once she loses her beauty, she will have nothing substantial in her life and there will no one who would love her for what she truly is.Another character struggles with her weight issues and is mocked by her reflections in the mirror (played by two male actors, who have some witty lines to their credit) on how she fails to follow her diet plans and how every time she plans to exercise, it doesn’t go beyond the planning stage. This part does manage to make you laugh with the engaging characters and natural performance. It also talks about our obsession with ‘fair’ skin even in today’s age and how skin colour is given preference over the actual person. And how the innumerable fairness creams come to your rescue, promising you of saving you from the stigma of not being ‘fair’ enough.There is also a part where a prospective couple, who meet in a typical arranged marriage setting, discuss about each other’s likes, dislikes, hobbies and go up the extent of talking about the number of kids they would like to have. But, in the end when they are almost convinced that they want to get hitched and finally get up after their long discussion they realise that the girl is taller than the boy, when the situation turns pretty awkward. This again throws light at the unwritten rules set by the society which we are obliged to comply with and how we blindly follow them. It shows how the society and our inner critic merge together in our minds and turn into beasts, which goes on to haunt us. And how these five characters deal with what they come across in the mirror.Verdict: Backed with promising actors, funny one-liners and an important message, this play does not disappoint you and makes you sit back and think.