Juhi Babbar Soni as ‘Saiyaara’ strikes an emotional chord with Kolkatans

From being a Muslim woman to a divorcee or just a working girl trying to leave her mark in this world, Juhi Babbar as Saiyaara took us through their daily trials and tribulations

Asked about her experience of performing in Kolkata, Babbar said: ‘The Kolkata audience truly knows how to appreciate art. The kind of response I received throughout my act really meant a lot’

Achint Marwah, who depicted the character of Harjeet in Aap Ki Saiyaara, said: ‘The play has only received praises and it’s only because of Juhi Babbar, Raj Babbar’s daughter, that it’s receiving the kind of attention that it deserves. We’ve catered to 2,000 people as well and even a 100 in attendance, and the energy somehow has always been the same’

‘It was amazing and I really enjoyed it. Throughout the play, I was intrigued and felt captivated by Juhi Babbar’s performance. The kind of messages Juhi talked about is something every woman in India connects with,’ said Ishita Churiwal, a member of the audience

Representing Anamika Kala Sangam Trust, which was responsible for bringing Aap Ki Saiyaara to Kolkata, Richa Agarwal said: ‘We all know about what she’s trying to highlight, but how many of us are brave enough to speak about it. Also the way Juhi voiced the complexity of being a woman through her expressions, dialogue delivery is just fabulous’

Anupa Roy, in her mid-40s, said ‘Everything that she has said is literally my life. If she can connect with an audience like this, it’s just brilliant. The one-to-one connection that she was able to build, that too single-handedly, takes a lot. She definitely has the pedigree to do it but even then, I feel it was one of the most outstanding plays I’ve watched’