"When I prepared 'Shhhh...Century Buddha' and decided to launch it with a whopping publicity budget, people doubted my sanity," says Jitendra Mittal, founder of theatre group Yayavar and director of the play, who also plays the protagonist.

"I had faith in this story of a 99-years-old whose fructuous orchard everyone wants to usurp...I knew its relevance in the present times and was confident about its potential to entertain," says Mittal about the play, which has been adapted from the Bengali original and modified to suit contemporary mindset.

The play marked the opening of 'Natyotsav-2009' at Ravindralaya auditorium on Friday evening.

"From top officials to rickshaw-pullers, anyone who has seen it has enjoyed it and there are so many who have seen it over and over again," says the theatre man, who founded the group way back in 1977.

The ticket price is as low as Rs 10 and the biggest commercial gain has been in the form of sponsorship by State Bank of India.

"The bank's name is part of a dialogue, but then there are some other brands too which find mention in the play...but, I guess I am not savvy enough to rope in the corporate sector in a big way," says Mittal, as he rushes for a final rehearsal and finally the make-up.