Translated by Harish Trivedi, chairperson of India Foundation -- a Dayton-based organisation that promotes India and Indian culture in America -- the play will be called I Am Nathuram Godse Speaking. ``The integrity of Dalvi's play is going to be kept intact,'' said Trivedi in a telephonic conversation with Express Newsline from Dayton.

The idea to translate the play was conceived much before the furore over it in Mumbai and the Parliament. Trivedi watched the play's Gujarati version - Gandhi Ke Godse - at the Tejpal auditorium in Mumbai last December. ``The response of the audience stunned me. They were so engrossed in the play,'' he said. The episode of Gandhi's assassination and Nathuram's rationale on it lends itself beautifully to drama, according toTrivedi. Dalvi was contacted in February this year and the translation was ready in March.

The controversy, in India, over the play has been widely reported in the US by publications like India Abroad, Asia On Line and India West. Trivedi finds the controversy ridiculous. Especially since the play's Gujarati version is now more than 50 shows old. ``In a democracy, people must decide. Gandhi is too big a personality to be hurt or maligned. I don't think India needs people like Usha Mehta to protect Gandhi's memory,'' he said.

There seems to be no dearth of people who agree with this point of view. People from as far as Boston have been contacting Trivedi for roles. While several actors, both Indian and American, have been screened for Nathuram's role, there is likelihood of a leading Bollywood actor donning the assassin's costume.

Trivedi has contacted professional theatre groups in the US and the theatre department of the Wright State University for the cast and a director of production. The actualstaging of the play, however, may have to wait till the spring of 1999 because the schedules of the American theatre groups and theatre departments are decided a year in advance.

But though the project is gathering support, the India Foundation has decided not to present it under its banner after a trustee of the foundation pointed out that it may look like the foundation's endorsement of Godse's views. The foundation, which has presented more than 300 Indian artistes like Mallika Sarabhai, Sonal Mansingh and Debu Chaudhary, may fund the production though.

Trivedi too insisted that his initiative was not an endorsement of Godse's views. ``The play is not to change people's minds. Yet it is not just entertainment. It is an effort to explore parts of history that have not been explored,'' he said.

And I Am Nathuram Godse Speaking is not the only play on Gandhi's assassin that is in the offing. Another play written by Trivedi himself, The Mahatma's Assassin, is also to be staged in Dayton. Trivedi wants agap of at least a month between the two openings. The Mahatma's Assassin is a docu-drama based on recorded facts including Judge Khosla's observations on the case. ``Our history of Partition needs to be looked at again and after 50 years we need to be bold enough to clear the dust and see what lies below it.''