Iago is furious about being overlooked for promotion and plots to take revenge against his General – Othello, the Moor of Venice. Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful, stirring Othello’s jealousy. Othello allows jealousy to consume him, murders Desdemona, and then kills himself.

Othello, a Moor serving as a general in the Venetian army, has risen to a position of great prominence in a predominantly white Christian society, overcoming racial prejudice and social barriers.

He crosses these boundaries by secretly marrying Desdemona, a white Venetian woman who is also the daughter of a senator.

Iago exploits Othello’s insecurities, making him question why a beautiful woman of high social standing would choose to marry a man of colour.

Despite being a celebrated general who has fought against the Turks, Othello struggles with feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. Iago manipulates these vulnerabilities, ultimately leading to tragedy.

Alyque wished to explore these themes further through another production of Othello, imagining an Indian adaptation involving a Dalit man eloping with a Brahmin woman, or a tribal man marrying a Brahmin woman.

Gerson da Cunha recalled that Othello was the play in which he truly understood the art of acting. For him, acting was not simply about speaking lines or expressing emotions, but about becoming another person.

Asif Ali Baig made his theatrical debut in this production. He had only one line to deliver but forgot to say it at the appropriate moment on opening night. Despite this, Alyque later gave him a leading role in his next production of Tara.

Kabir Bedi, who played Othello in Alyque’s 1990 production, nearly experienced a nightmare of his own.

Alyque recalled, “My Othello doesn’t suffocate Desdemona with a pillow. Instead, I planned to strangle her with the incriminating handkerchief.”

Since the handkerchief was essential to several characters, Alyque insisted on having five identical handkerchiefs—one each for Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Cassio and Emilia—so that the important prop would always be available.

However, during one fateful performance, Kabir’s dresser forgot to place the handkerchief in the pocket of his costume.

At the climactic moment, when Othello growls, “Down, strumpet!”, Kabir reached into his pocket and desperately searched for the handkerchief. There was nothing there.

Sitting in the audience, Alyque groaned audibly.

Nikki Vijayakar, who was playing Desdemona, was already halfway through her final words, “But while I say one prayer.”

Kabir, with his commanding stage presence, raised his hands towards Desdemona’s throat without the handkerchief.

Nikki desperately attempted to retrieve her own handkerchief from her nightgown, but Kabir thundered, “True to the Bard, it is too late!” and proceeded to strangle Desdemona with his bare hands.

After the curtain fell, Kabir was reportedly tempted to perform a second strangulation—this time on his dresser!

Fun Fact: Kabir Bedi and Nikki Vijayakar, the lead actors of the 1990 production, fell in love during the production and later married.