By Emma Maguire (The Wellingtonista)

A wise man once told me that real loves grows, and so does my love of Indian Ink’s now legendary tale of Krishnan’s Dairy that wound up its final season in Wellington this week.
The production is a well polished gem in the crown of creative team Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis, which I first saw at Wellington’s Hannah Playhouse 10 years ago and have been captivated by ever since.

Their latest and last season found its home at Te Papa’s Soundings Theatre and was just as magnificent, hilarious and heart-wrenching as I remember. Added to this was the perfectly choreographed sound design, creative props, catchy songs and their infamously magical mask wizardry that brought our favourite dairy and characters to life.
There are many legends in this tale of an immigrant dairy owner named Gobi – all of whom are played by Rajan and weave in Gobi’s love story with his wife Zina – in with that of the Indian Emperor and visionary romantic, Shah Jahan, who is responsible for the famous Taj Mahal.

It compares their recent arranged marriage with the prospect of a love marriage, all while settling into new life and parenthood in the prized suburbs of New Zealand… which is not the paradise Zina imagined it to be.

The perseverance of their relationship – and of their shop that earns them $4 an hour on a good day within a 17-hour shift – is nothing compared to the persevering strength of the Indian Ink Company. which has itself honoured New Zealand as its home for 25 years, despite receiving rapturous applause and 65 successful overseas tours during that time.
Their love story, both Gobi’s and Rajan’s, will not be forgotten and I am ready to love the new works by these masterful creators that are already on their way to inspire new audiences like myself.

I am not ready to let go of Gobi and Zina yet, but their impact will stay in my heart, and in the shadows of Te Papa where this breathtaking masterpiece is appropriately worthy of a long awaited rest.

I don’t see any rest in sight for its creators however, and I couldn’t be happier about that.