Seeing Other People’s Hira Lodhi shares her journey

Wits University alumna Hira Lodhi’s career as a theatre-maker has blossomed.

Lodhi, the director of Seeing Other People recalls her journey from humble beginnings to becoming a Standard Bank award winner prior to Seeing Other People, for an earlier production.

“I’ve always been a very dramatic child,” Lodhi said. “I would put on shows with my younger sister [Hana] who’s also an actress. When I got the opportunity, I applied for a drama and law degree at Wits University. I got into both schools on the same day, and my dad was like ‘whatever decision you make will be the best for you.’ ”

According to Lodhi, this will be the final run of Seeing Other People available to audiences in Johannesburg. “We were on twice last year, the second time we were back by popular demand. But this is our last, and final, run in Joburg. If you have seen the play before, just know that it is different from last year. We keep evolving.”

The play has been nominated for three Naledi awards, as well as a Standard Bank Ovation award.  Although Seeing Other People is yet to win an award, according to Lodhi, these accolades have opened doors for her and her cast with whom she has worked on this production since her third year at university.

“Honestly, I never thought that I would be able to follow a creative dream or be in the creative industry and be acknowledged for what I’m doing. That acknowledgement is crazy. When you have these accolades under your belt, people are more open to inviting you to their spaces and they take you more seriously.”

According to Lodhi, Seeing Other People touches on some eyebrow-raising topics such as monogamy and polyamory.

“I think that post-Covid-19, this was an important thing to put on. One of the things which my actors kept bringing up during rehearsals was that we need to make it obvious to the audience that we are not saying polyamory is wrong because there are different religions, cultures; different people, and different beliefs. Polyamory is a thing, monogamy is a thing, we are in no way saying that either is wrong or doesn’t work.”

The future is a bright-lit stage for Lodhi and her crew who have, since Seeing Other People, co-founded T.O.P Comedy.

“Our company, T.O.P Comedy, will hopefully travel with this production but we will be bringing more things on, so keep an eye out on our Instagram page, it’s the same name.”

“I am grateful to my parents and my sisters. Sarah Roberts who supervised my thesis, Fiona Ramsay, my performance teacher, and Gerard Bester who taught me clowning.”

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