Mumbai:
Everyone is on stage, from the Nazi German Fuhrer and his love interest Eva Braun, to the person calling the shots behind the scenes is from the Mumbai Police.
A performance of Dr. Sameer Mone's popular play 'The Death of a Conqueror' on the last 13 days of Hitler's life has won them the top spot in a drama contest - the Maharashtra State Government Drama Competition that judged 249 entries this year. The Mumbai police team is first.
Actor and Constable, Local Arms Division 1, Sushil Inamdar says, "I read a lot of books on Hitler, read some of his original speeches. I have read Mein Kemph twice."
"My colleagues at the airport saw my pictures and said I looked like a German and would have probably cleared immigration as a foreigner.." adds Vinaya Joshi, Constable, Special Branch (International Airport).
Taking the play to the stage seemed like an impossibility. The long working hours and unpredictable law and order situation had played havoc with rehearsals. If that wasn't enough, on the day of their performance they were faced with another disruption.
"With the My Name Is Khan versus Shiv Sena controversy raging, we thought we would miss participating in the competition.", says the director of the play, Sunil Kadam, Head Constable, Local Arms Division III.
Sure enough they could not make it on time. However, the judges gave them another chance.
But why this controversial choice of subject? Hitler is not exactly a hero.
"For his own selfish needs, he killed lakhs of people but was alone in his death. Our message is simple: Evil ends in evil.", says Sunil Kadam.
For a police force battling terrorism on an everyday basis their creative outlet too is tinged with reality. No wonder the team excelled under the spotlight.