New play explores corporate life through the viewpoint of smokers

In the play, a bunch of colleagues discuss appraisals, politics and relationships

At a workplace, airport or cinema hall, the smoking area has dynamics of its own. This segregated zone is where camaraderie occurs, where bits of life are shared while putting physical wellbeing on the line.

This community that shares their lives for brief moments is the setting of the new play, Dhumrapaan, directed by Akarsh Khurana. He says that the idea germinated when he was observing people in a smoking room. "There was this sense of understanding where snippets of conversation emanated and everyone responded. Then, a woman entered and lit a cigarette. Suddenly, the body language of the people in the room changed. It returned to the usual again when she left. This space fascinated me and I kept wondering about this idea," he says.

Dhumrapaan tracks the lives of people coming to the smoking zone of a corporate building over the period of a week. A bunch of office employees discuss appraisals, politics and relationships, all the while dealing with their stress, fears, and insecurities.

Kumud Mishra, who will be acting in the play, says, "This could be any corporate office. But through these interactions, we get to know a lot about our times and complications we are faced with."