in 2006, moving away from internal monologues, kaul staged a bitter-sweet meditation on old age called "bali aur shambhu", featuring sudhir pandey and mishra. the times of india found it "not as philosophical as "shakkar ke paanch daane", yet, it's a story that tugs at your heartstrings and has its moments," while the mumbai theatre guide described it as "one of those plays that appeal to the senses but not to the intellect." said kaul, "i wrote the play after i visited an old-age home. i wanted to show that people in old-age homes also have fun."