What defined 1970s Bombay (as it was known then)? Political tensions, cultural growth, inflation, and a film industry headed by adrenaline-fuelled ‘angry young men’? Yes, we have ticked a few important boxes here, but can you visualise a love story blossoming between two girls during such a charged era? Luckily for us, the thought wasn’t too far-fetched for the writer and directors of Jhumkewali, a play by city-based theatre group Haus of Bhaus. Originally penned as a short story by London-based writer Ami Bhansali and later adapted into a play directed by Nidhi Krishna and Mekhala Singhal, the 45-minutes long play will take the stage at a city venue today.

The play revolves around two women in 1970s Bombay

Playing out in the charming corridors of Sophia College for Women, quiet corners of Parsi cafés, local trains, andpacked paan tapris — the city takes on a very important role in the simmering love between the two protagonists, Bindu and Rekha. “There is already a sense of nostalgia built into the idea of Bombay. It is in bits and pieces all around us, from the checkered tablecloth of cafes to a ride in the ladies’ compartment of the local train. We have tried to emulate all these elements in the play,” Singhal shares.