Did you ever wonder what happens to stories we are not allowed to tell? In If Lanterns Could Talk!, they take the shape of a kurta and a chappal. Directed by Hyderabad-based Osman Ghani of Red Turtle Collective, in collaboration with Lighthouse Theatre, the performance reimagines an old folktale collected by A. K. Ramanujan. It is reframed to reflect present-day realities — questions of caste, love, marriage, control, censorship, and the burdens people carry.

“Our work grows from a deep commitment to craft and collaboration, and a belief that theatre can move, question and connect,” says Osman, who first staged a shorter version of the play during his Master’s in Performing Arts at Pondicherry University.

The earlier 40-minute production has now expanded to a 70-minute piece, rooted in a rich physical theatre language. It blends classical dance stylisation, Kalaripayattu, classical music, shadow puppetry and traditional acting methods. “These elements are deeply integrated into the storytelling, allowing emotions, memories and inner conflicts to unfold through movement, rhythm and image, as much as through text,” he adds.

When emotions suppressed

In Telugu folklore, the idiom Deepam kondekkindi ('the lamp has gone out') suggests that lamps travel to a hill temple to share the stories of the households they belong to. Osman builds on this idea, imagining lanterns from different homes gathering to exchange what they have witnessed, only to mirror a more unsettling present.

In If Lanterns Could Talk!, this becomes a lens to explore what happens when emotion-laden stories are not heard, but suppressed. “The traditional folktale has been reimagined to speak to the anxieties and silences of today’s world,” says Osman. “At its heart, the play asks what happens when our stories are buried for too long.”

With a Master’s in Chemical Engineering from Andhra University , Osman shifted to theatre to pursue his passion. He describes his eight-year journey as both rewarding and diverse, spanning multiple productions and workshops for children. “My focus is to help children develop life skills,” he says.

If Lanterns Could Talk to be staged at Rangbhoomi Spaces, Serilingampally and Chauraha auditorium, Our Sacred Space, Secunderabad; April 17 and 18; Tickets: Bookmyshow and at the venue.