Gerson da Cunha (1929-2022): Ad man, actor and activist driven by concern for Mumbai’s future

Why was I sitting in a darkened hall watching Toni Patel rehearse Rajika Puri as Portia in The Merchant of Venice? I do not remember. But I do remember the doors of the auditorium opening behind me and Gerson da Cunha sweeping in, clad in his trademark white chikan kurta, carrying a portfolio of some kind, trailing busyness.

He stopped when he saw me. “Dear boy,” he said. “Do you mind if I ignore you? I am almost late.”

I looked at my watch. It was a few minutes to four.

“Gerson,” said Puri. “The Gerson!”

He acknowledged this with a bow. He smiled at Toni Patel.

“Do you need a minute?” she asked.

“To gaze upon all of you, yes,” Da Cunha said. “Mislike me not for my hurry.”

There was a little flurry of laughter and after taking a turn around the stage and stamping a bit in a corner, he returned, in character, as Morocco.

“Mislike me not for my complexion…”

The voice, that voice, rolled out into the dark theatre. It was a voice that held a knowingness, an acknowledgement of its own greatness. It was also a voice that acknowledged the Englishness of the lines for its diction was precise, the pentameter was treated with delicacy and suddenly, I was back in college, back to…

Read more