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Junoon for Theatre Theatre happened as a pure accident

I N S I Karl Marx In Kalbadevi D Revolution via entertainE ment Page 8 Question in Contemporary Theater in Bangalore Page 5

Acting is the easiest job in the world

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Rendezvous

Kirti Arora

Theatre happened as a pure accident

A: I studied literature as an undergraduate and joined the college dramatics society ANKUR - at SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi. Since then, theatre became a significant part of my individuality to understand the self and the world. I feel those three years were the most enriching formative years of my learning the art form. I had been a very introvert person throughout my school life and getting into theatre wasnt a part of agenda ever. It was a pure accident and when it happened, it took me over, completely. 2. How was Atelier born? After working for 4-5 years with different theatre directors and practitioners, I realized that practice would take concrete shape when one creates what one strongly feels. I met a few like-minded people and Atelier was officially born on January 14, 2004. It was a platform for people from different walks of life; need not be only theatre or performing

Having worked with theatre stalwarts like M.K. Raina, Surendra Sharma, Roysten Abel, Avtar Sahni, Anna-Helena McLean and VK Sharma, Kuljeet Singh started his own group Atelier Expressions in 2004. The journey has been a mixed bag of experiences but the passion for the medium keeps it all going. In conversation with Kirti Arora, theatre director Kuljeet Singh talks about the changing theatre culture in Delhi, his plans for Atelier and much more. 1. You have been involved in theatre since your college days. What attracted you to theatre in the first place?

arts but people in general who are socially conscious and have something to say. We explored for 2-3 years with different projects and started working on 2 major productions: Goodbye Blue Sky and The Little Soldier. 3. The ACT festival has grown incredibly in the past few years. What do you think is the reason behind its growing popularity? A: While I was acting and directing our own productions, I felt that we have little audience and our reach is narrow. In pursuit of finding our audience, I (Continued on page 14)

Junoon for Theatre

Kirti Arora

Rendezvous

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Sanjna Kapoor is one such name in the theatre circuit of the country, which doesnt need any introduction. For the past 22 years, her name has been synonymous with the hub of creativity Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai. Currently, co-founder of Junoon, Sanjna has big plans to make arts an essential part of our daily lives. In conversation with Kirti Arora, Sanjna talks about theatre ka keeda in her blood, plans for her new group Junoon and much more. 1. What is the driving factor behind your passion for theatre? A: I believe I have what Satyadev Dubey said all people, who work in the theatre have and that is theatre ka keeda! And its come down to me through two generations and from both sides of my family! So its a little tough escaping it! 2. What is your stance on the state of theatre in the country? A: I believe things are changing for the better. But, we still need to keep reminding ourselves that theatre in the modern term of auditoria-based theatre, which is still very young in our country. It dates back to over 250 years as compared to over 400 years in the west. [Not considering the classical theatres of Sanskrit, Koodiyattam or the Greek theatre]. So we need to understand that we need a great deal of catching up to do, especially in terms of infrastructure that enables theatre to thrive. Things that the western theatre takes for granted are not even considered in our country a variety of training facilities, grant structures, performance venues, and outreach opportunities etc. All this makes my blood boil, when our ignorant bureaucrats and politicians aspire to host the likes of Edinburgh Festival in Delhi without understanding the basic ABC of what leads to the creation of the Edinburgh Festival, the Avignon Festival or any highly reputed performance or arts Festivals. 3. What differences do you notice in the working styles of Indian and western theatre? Is Indian theatre at par with the professionalism exhibited by western theatre? A: This word professional is a tricky word in India as we have the commercial theatre that is rampant in different forms across the country be it Mobile Theatre in Assam, Commercial Marathi or Gujarathi theatre etc and is in most cases disconnected to the parallel theatre (which normally runs at a loss or non-profit). It is the parallel theatre that I talk of and I do not use the term amateur, as there is a complex discussion that can be got into regarding these terms. In short in my mind it is about your attitude to your work. Not necessarily whether you make a living out of it or not. However in metros like Bombay this is changing. In the past 6-8 years, I find more and more people turning to theatre and seeing a real possibility of making a living from it and its ancillary fall outs, like voice overs, ads, conducting workshops etc. One still need to be hugely entrepreneurial and innovative in theatre and perhaps always will need to be. And that is (Continued on page 15)

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Curtain Raiser

Akram Feroze, The Man Behind

Pragati Singh
I met a man a few months back in a program. In his humbling slippers and a kurta, he looked ordinary. I saw a girl walk past him, turn back, and suddenly scream Cycle natak??!! followed by a loud and exuberant exchange of I am such a fan and Thankyou, thanks. Months later, I express my wish to interview him and a few weeks into it, finally catch him for one. He modestly apologises for the delay, telling me how electricity is a problem in the village he currently calls home. Meet Akram Feroze, the man behind Cycle natak, the bicycle journey across India, that started on October 27, 2011, and is still going strong, with the then 22 year old Akram, who wanted to take theatre where it was inaccessible. Me : Where are you currently on your journey? Where does it end? Him : I am hitch-hiking, moving towards Kochi from Jharkhand. For the moment, I have stopped at Khanderbheda, a small village near Jamshedpur, at the foothills of Dalma forest: dry, wild, but peaceful. I started cycle natak as a 2-3 year tour across the country, but after a single year of travel, I fell in love with the unknown roads and the strangers I met on them. Now, I have decided to live the life of a fakir musafir, who travels and tries to perform theatre wherever possible. Now, its a lifelong journey. I sometimes give a break to the cycle and hitchhike, give talks or perform street theatre for various organizations. I dont see an end to it as such, though I will leave it to the road. One can never guarantee anything cent percent on the road. Me : What is the essence of cycle natak? Him : Cycle Natak can simply be described as theatre for the people, of the people and by the people. The man and cycle natak are not different, and the only goal is to travel, learn and share. Me : You have mentioned the Natak Mandali concept in your facebook description. How did it inspire your mission? Him : I dont know the real definitions of Natak Mandali. I hail from a small unknown town called Jagtial, of Karimnagar District of Andhra Pradesh, and to be frank, till my 12th, I had never watched a natak. I didnt study

theatre as profession, but my grandfather used to narrate stories of how Mandalis (group of people) used to travel from village to village and perform theatre (natak). Thats how I developed the fantasy of a travelling theatre. What is my mission? I dont have one. I had never travelled much out of my town till highschool, and I had the fantasy of seeing life beyond borders. I wanted to experience life in its true sense, freedom is what I sought. Hailing from the middle-class, I could not afford a long trip, so I bought a cycle and a backpack, took 300 rupees and left home. Theatre being my passion, I thought Ill try and perform

wherever possible, and if people give me food I will eat. Thats how I mixed my fantasies of travel and theatre, to come up with Cycle Natak. Me : How do village people respond to you? What impact does cycle natak have on them? Him : I used to be a complete flop-show when I started. I could not understand the rural audience. Now, however, I am improving with the lessons I learn on the road. Though even now sometimes I cannot get a good response, but at times when the villagers come thanking and gift 10-20 rupees for my performance, (Continued on page 5)

Culture for Class?

Question in Contemporary Theater in Bangalore
patronage of multinational companies, theater serves the interest of only the class of fulfilled and not the mass of deprived. However, some germs of the class character of the Kannada theater can be traced back to the predecessors legacies. With aesthetics of criticism, the craft of master thespians attempted to render theaterof-all into theater-forall. But then, it gratified aesthetic hunger of the well to do Kannada elite. It was liberal and accommodative in its urge. It however also reduced some of the conventional expressions into second fiddles in the popular narratives. The folk performative art, such as the Yakshagana, became formulaic device for the theatrical reconstructions. The adoption of Kalari, the Malyali martial art, in theater performance, vindicates the continuity in translation of folk into a device for contemporary theater. It was a borrowing of the folk forms, minus the lore, to narrate a tale of the high culture. Moreover, it is curious to note that the Kannada theater circle never witnessed the phenomenon of progressive street theater. Barring a few and far occurrences of street theater, such as a group of students from Jyoti Nivas College named Masrah, there have seldom been a Indian Peoples Theater kind of theatrical synergy in the street of Bangalore. Or some form of street theater has been utilized for promoting proscenium theater performances, such as the series of performance in Bangalore by the Mumbai based theater person Atul Kumar accompanying the launch of Rang Shankara in 2004. Atul Kumar visualized a cart carrying performances of the Moliere drama to the street and draw peoples attention to the objective of the Rang Shankara to popularize the art of theater. A young entrepreneur in contemporary theater in Bnagalore, affiliated with Jagriti, Vivek Madan puts it pithily, it may be unfortunate but it's the truth that theater has been a niche product unlikely to be taken to the street. The contemporary theater in Karnataka, mostly dominated by artists based in Bangalore, is vibrant with enriching innovations. It is also beginning to create performances in Hindi and English other than Kannada. And it has no pretense of ideological naturecontemporary theater in Karnataka is unabashedly for class and not mass. l

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The world of theater does not exist in vacuum. It is very much intertwined with the socio-cultural and politico-economic structure. Hence it is not devoid of the possibility of intended and unintended discrimination. The hypothesis is tested positive in the case of the modern Kannada Theater including the old masters and contemporary aspirants. Needless to say, it is a panIndian characteristic of theater that it capitalizes on social while it remains accessible to only select social. In other words, a particular social becomes a theatrical commodity for the consumption of another group of the social. The Kannada theater circle has been renowned for the creative enrichment by the likes of B B Karanth, M S Sathyu, Girish Karnad, Shankar and Arundhati Nag, among other luminaries. In the words of a young theater artist, winner of Mahindra Excellence in Theater Award, Abhishek Majumdar, the predecessors of the Kannada theater were intellectually free to be nuanced critiques of the authority and status quo; while the contemporary artists aspire to join hands with the authority. Therefore, it should not surprise that under the

Dev N Pathak
He teaches s o c i a l anthropology at South Asian University, Delhi; he has been researching and writing on folklore, popular culture, art, cinema and theater; he obtained a doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi in Sociology for a thesis on Maithili folk songs. He can be reached at dev@soc.sau.ac.in

Akram Feroze, A Man Behind Cycle Natak

(Continued from page 4) it means they found it worthy. Recently, I was performing with the kids in a small village called Mannpur, of Andaman islands, on the issue of drinking, and one of the kids father comes and says to me, I wont stop drinking but I wont drink at home. For me, that kind of a response brings an immense sense of satisfaction. He chats with me lightheartedly for a while before saying, I must leave now, got to water the fields tomorrow early morning, and signs off with a smile. l

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News

Rang Bayar in a University Campus of Obsessive

Dev Pathak
Jawaharlal Nehru University campus is renowned for utmost political and creative liberty of students and teachers. It is also notorious for an obsession with politically correct scheme of thought and imagination in academic and extra academic actions. In between, there have been a few theatercultural groups on the university campus buoyant with progressive dramas. It is in the domain of performance art that the university manifests a seamless fusion of theater of politics and politics of theater. The politics of theater oscillates between departures from and subscription to politically correct rhetoric. The politics of theater on campus also seeks to say it aloudwe are not second fiddle in the drama of the dominant political groups! This was resonant in the second chapter of the theater festival aptly titled Rang Bayar- 2013, meaning breeze of hues, which showcased six works of six prominent theater groups of the campus. All these six groups, originated to campus with amateur artists from within and beyond, have earned variable fame in the larger scene of theater in India. It is indeed insightful on the part of the university administration to put together some of the best works of the campus related theater groups. The coordinator of the JNU cultural committee Prof. Manju Sree Chauhan, a scholar of Spanish literature and an old theater enthusiast, envisioned the festival to synergize the cultural politics in an excessively political campus. When the idea of the festival was floated a couple of years ago, Prof. Chauhan found a loyal executer of it in a seasoned theater artist Haadi Sarmadi, related to one of the oldest theater groups Bahrup. Haadi, a (Continued on page 17)

Chalta Phirta Bambai - an experimental and musical play

Brainchild of Abhinay Banker Chalta Phirta Bambai, was premiered at Darpana Academy on the last week of March. Inspired by three short stories of Urdu writer Sahadat Hasan Manto Siraj, Hataq and Das Rupaiye, narrates life stories about three different women of different age in flesh trade. Manto was famed as chalta phirta bambai by his friends. This time Chalta Phirta Bambai came to the audience of Ahmedabad city in form of an anchor of the play. The play depicts story of three women of different age in the same occupation by innocently, forcefully or helplessly.

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The play:

Written and directed by Banker, this play was one of the best experimental plays in the city. It was the first time that audience of Ahemdabad has experienced that experience of rainfall and vehicles moving on the stage. The director has successfully shown Mumbais chawls and red-light with effective stagecraft, this made this play different than the other local plays. The sound and music in the play was formed by the players themselves only with claps and whistle. In the 90 minutes play many unseen and unheard stories of a female life shown to the audience. by The play was performed 30 artists and 10

backstage artists including students of the darpana academy anchored by Manto himself. Mantos character in the play was performed by actor Ankit Chandrashekhar justified it by rightly pronouncing some difficult Urdu phrases. Background score and the songs, language and dialect and costumes in the play relates to the 70s music.

Synopsys:
Three women of different ages concurrently into prostitution innocently, forcefully or helplessly. The play depicts innocence of the early teens, the fights for righteousness in the twenties and the frustrated exploration of ones identity in the late thirties. Three interlaced stories subtly portray the reality of life and simultaneously challenge the idea of innocence, love, ethics, morality, virtuousness and self respect; and yet

culminate into the nakedness and blatancy existent in our society. (From Ahmedabad) l

Director : Abhinay Banker Writer Banker : Abhinay

Man behind the play:

Abhinay Banker is an actor, director, writer and acting teacher. He has acted in many hit plays and has directed Toba Tek Singh and Thanda Ghost based on Mantos story. Main Tenu Phir Milangi was is big hit. He is known for creative freedom and experiments in his plays. He is planning to shows Chalta Phir Bambai to the audience of Mumbai very soon.

Image courtesy: Apostrography Review by : Gargi Raval

Projects Consultancy Education Publication Multi Intelligence Analysis Preventive Health Check Up for Creative people & their families Ajinkya Tara Apartments, Shop no.11 & 12, Opp. P. L. Deshpande Garden, Sinhagad road, Pune 30. Email: rajesh@animationwala.com Cell Phone: 098225 07895

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Reviews

Revolution via entertainment

Karl Heinrich Marx was a revolutionary philosopher who played a key role in the development of the socialist movement in the nineteenth century. Sounds serious stuff, doesnt it? So how would you feel if you suddenly find the legendary sociologist providing high doses of entertainment that also includes doing the Gangnum Style dance? He surely does that in Manoj Shahs Gujarati play (mono act) Karl Marx In Kalbadevi but at the same time, he constantly throws light on his original teachings and philosophies in a bold, applaud-worthy manner. The maintaining of this fine balance is one among other reasons for not missing this theatrical experience. The play throws an imaginary possibility of Karl Marx returning in todays era in the city of Mumbai, 150 years after his death. His motto is to share his life story and express his anger at various issues, including the fact that his philosophies are misunderstood over the decades. Apart from this, he is also eager to meet Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. In a mono act, it is vital for the script to be watertight and that is precisely the case here as it keeps you

protagonist. A mono act can be called first rate only if the actor gives a bravura performance. This is exactly how Satchit Puraniks act can be described here. You just cant keep your eyes off him while he enacts different emotions with remarkable ease. He brings his own interpretation and presentation of Mark but that isnt a problem since the real mannerisms and behavior of the philosopher arent properly known. As explained earlier, this gives a very entertaining image of Marx but again, that is what the play was supposed to be. But they should have worked more on his appearance. Overall, Karl Marx In Kalbadevi is a fine example of revolution through entertainment. The play also deserves to be translated to other languages. l

gripped throughout by the skillful narration of Marxs life story. Important facets like Marxs rise to fame from a careless youth, his special friendship with fellow sociologist Friedrich Engels and his relation with his wife Jenny are smartly handled. Special impetus is given to Marxs hatred for capitalism and concern for the poor which produces an electrifying effect.

message doesnt take a backseat, you wouldnt mind that. Giving bold messages through the medium of drama is very common. But what makes Karl Marx In Kalbadevi stand apart is the fearlessness through which these messages are given. Its biggest example is that they have not shied away even from taking the actual names of the head honchos of the current government while criticizing them. Even the relation they have created between Marx and Gandhi deserves mention.

Marxs life story and philosophy, however, arent the only aspects of the play. The rib-tickling humor plays an equally important role in the narration. The subject of the play Some situational as well is such that it requires just as dark humour will have basic set designing which is you in splits regularly. This provided aptly. The lighting happens more when you see is adequate. Using a red Marx singing a Gujarati song light in one of the scenes was and doing the Gangnam a smart idea as it suits the dance. Of course, there are character of moments Marx. The w h i c h Writer: Uttam Gada background become an score also exhibition of Director: Manoj Shah plays its role the actors in portraying super talent. Cast: Satchit Puranik different But since Reviewed By: Keyur Seta e m o t i o n s M a r x s of the original

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Simplicity Strikes A Chord

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Khala Kamal Ki

It is said that the quality of writing and acting determine the outcome of every play. As far as director Farrukh Sher Khans Urdu play Khala Kamal Ki is concerned, it is difficult to say which department outshines the other. But nobody would mind such a conflict for it only means that the end result is superlative. Khala Kamal Ki was staged recently in Mumbai at the National Urdu Drama Festival, which was organized by Kirdaar Art Academy. Written by Rafi Shabbir, the play is the product of Adakaar Group from Bhopal. It throws light on a widow in Bhopal fondly known as Khala (Swastika Chakraborty). Due to her helping and sweet nature, she is the most famous character in the busy middle-class locality where she resides. When Khala takes up the task of fixing marriage between two love birds, it ensures a series of hilarious encounters. Among the many positives is the delightful characterization of Khala. As she goes about her daily chores while taking care of the well-being of her near and dear ones, you instantly fall in love with her, regardless of your age and gender. Even her normal, simple interactions will have a smile fixed on your face. Talking about the script, there is just non-stop hilarity in the form of situational and crazy humour. As the story is nicely developed and new characters are introduced, the humour keeps increasing. The character of Nadira and her Humare Bhai Hain, encounters constitute a large chunk of the funny moments. But what impresses the most is that despite the laugh riot, the play continues to be high on emotional content. the director should have instructed his actors to take a pause after every punch line so that the following line doesnt get overheard by the audiences laughter. Although the protagonist lives a middle-class lifestyle, the set designer has shown richness and high production value in recreating her simple apartment. This ensures high degree of reality, especially by the old sewing machine. The use of lights and costume are apt too. Nadira, manages to steal the show with a super hilarious act. It wouldnt have been a problem if she was given more scenes. The actor playing the character of Ansari plays his role with maturity while Pramela Singh, playing a crazy character that pretends to know English, is likable. The play has also received perfect support from actors playing the characters of Bitto, Farhan, Zahoor and Singhs husband. Overall, Khala Kamal Ki is a treat for Urdu drama lovers simply because it gets everything right. l

The play wouldnt have touched such brilliance without Swastika The only downhill aspect Chakrabortys excellent is the final monologue by performance. Her portrayal Khala which should have of Khala will force the b e e n audience shortened Director: Farrukh Sher to give her since it a standing Khan doesnt ovation. But entirely go Writer: Rafi Shabbir despite her with the dominance, genre of the Reviewed By: Keyur Seta Akanksha play. Also, Verma, as

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Mahabharta comes to Delhi

Kirti Arora
The recent staging of the play Arjun Ka Beta had audience packed in large numbers at Sri Ram Centre in New Delhi. Made under the aegis of The Films and Theatre Society, the play resurrected the essence of the epic Mahabharta on stage. Told in a poetic rendition in the Hindustani language, the play was a visual and auditory delight with phrases that carried deep layers of literal and metaphorical meanings. Written and directed by the talented Atul Satya Koushik, the play had Sahil Chhabra essaying the role of Abhimanyu, whose consistency in maintaining the essence of his character was remarkable. His body language and dialogue delivery matched the tempo of the character well. In fact, Chhabra would often transform into the character of King Yudhishitr to engage in a conversation with the great warrior Bheeshama (son of Ganges). The latters role was played by Sachin Joshi, who stood out quite well with his expressions and impressive body gestures. Additionally, Nishtha Paliwals character as Subhadra and Kanika Soods portrayal of Uttara was equally appreciated by all. The well-built Parveen Chaudhary in the role of Duryodhan gave a strong performance too. Also, Karan Dang as Arjun presented a striking performance with his controlled emotions. The highlight of the play was the battlefield between Abhimanyu and the Kauravas, where bamboo sticks were used as metaphors of swords, bows and arrows. This particular scene was quite engaging, which aptly helped the audience gauge the practice gone into the play. Another hi-point of the play was the entry of Krishna, while Yudhishitr was sharing his inability with Bheeshama to face Arjun, who would be coming from the battlefield any moment to ask about his son. During this discourse, Krishna intervenes and elaborates that it is very easy to get into a chakrayuh, but very difficult to get out of the same. He further says that no human has even been able to do so. Krishnas character was played by Rahul Singh, whose God-like mannerisms won everyones heart. Overall, the play was an interesting watch that effectively used elements like music and lighting to create the desired effect on stage. l

There is no escaping the chakravyuh

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The Telugu play Barbareekudu is a valiant attempt of unearthing the caste conflict in the epic war of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata. Barbareekudu was a tribal prince warrior of Dandakaranya. With his towering machismo he could have defeated Kauravas or Pandavas or even both. But as the one who is safeguarding Dharma he took the side of Pandavas. The play delineated the enigma surrounding the mysterious disappearance of the tribal warrior who had a secret meeting with Pandavas. His mission was to eliminate Kauravas and what happened later formed the crux of the play. The original story is from the anthology of the untold mythological stories (Apoorva Purana Kathalu) written by the writers duo Sauda & Aruna. The play starts with a narration Mahabharata was written by living people and not the dead, and if the dead had written then the story would have been different. Only the victorious write the history and today you will witness the history made by the dead. And this play answers a vital question Why there was a sacrifice before the battle of Kurukshetra? Then the writers duo dedicated this play to Gaddar, a poet and Telugu balladeer. The play is a mlange of mythology

Barbareekudu Telugu Play

Tracing Tracing the the Caste CasteConflict Conflict in inthe theEpic EpicWar! War!

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experimentation and evoked laughter from the audience. Although in a raw form, the essence of it formed the message that came as a tight slap to the society. Many emotional scenes ruled the roost and the play culminated into a tear-jerking climax. B a a n i s a l u tala povadaaniki siddhapadathaaru gaani baanisatvam povadaaniki talapadaru translated as Slaves are always ready to sacrifice their lives but they never fight against slavery. These lines form the nerve centre of the play. This kind of theatre is intoxicating and the play reinvented the harbingers to the battle of Kurukshetra. Barbareekudu is a dramatic accomplishment of extraordinary finesse and perspicacity. (From Hyderabad) l

and political satire on a giant canvas on unseen mysteries hidden in the annals of history. The message stays close to Jean-Jacques Rousseaus The Social Contract and its famous lines Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. Monologue by the character Mareechi Brahma in the play telling about four class forms is an allegory to present day politics, and what are the driving factors in politics. How people contest in elections and the basis of their victory, all

are given a parallel reference in Mahabharata. The way Lord Krishna emphasized the need for mastery over politics is laudable. The actors fired all the cylinders and their performance knew no bounds. The production design displays the magnanimity of the play. The smoke effect, the light and sound, the waterfall, the fire and every element on stage was brought to life. Though they failed to show the forest in its natural form, the other pieces fall in place. Here Dharmaraju is shown with many shades of grey and apt lighting supplemented his stage presence. The entire act involving Duryodhana, Dharmaraju and Mareechi without the use of Graandhika baasha was

Writer & Director: Saudha-Aruna. Cast: Raja Kumara Teja, Thiru Veer, Rama Krishna, Kishan, Kabir and Jyothi. Lights: Surabhi Shankar. Sound: Pratap Vidyasagar. Reviewed By: Raja Satish

Image Courtesy: Ram Enjamoori and Saudha-Aruna Theatre Movement.

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Movies

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Acting is the easiest job in the world

Kirti Arora
Teenage years are often associated with being carefree and not having much to think about ones future career. But film maker Rajat Kapoors childhood was different. Fed on a regular staple of Hindi and American films, Rajat made an early decision in his life to become a film maker. I remember very clearly watching my first Werner Herzogs film. Even though I couldnt understand a thing but was still very much blown away by the images, recalls Rajat. Later, the film society experience left an equally strong impression on Rajats mind and even exposed him to the nuances of world cinema. Popular for his remarkable performances in films like Monsoon Wedding, Bheja Fry and Dil Chahta Hai amongst many others, Rajat prefers films that have a realistic side to them. Soon after completion of his college, he had no work in his hands. One thing led to another and he directed his first documentary Tarana. The 20-min documentary was not a conventional one and hence landed into trouble with Films Division. I was told that the film couldnt be approved, adds Kapoor. For the next two years, Rajat was waiting outside Films Division office in Peddar Road pleading for his case. Finally, the film was allowed and even went on to win National awards in two categories: best short film and cinematography. That was our little revenge. Though it didnt matter much to them, says Rajat. For him, awards are a way that gets your work the right kind of recognition. You feel happy when it happens and then you move on. In any case that was not the reason for doing what one is doing. These things are by products. You are grateful for it when it happens, but if it did not, it wont kill you, says Kapoor. In fact, his career journey has been as interesting as his personality. It was while performing for the play Waiting for Godot that Naseeruddin Shah noticed him and suggested his name to Mira Nair. The internationally acclaimed directed then auditioned him for 3-4 roles and finally he was shortlisted for essaying the role of a pedophile. Being his first film, it was definitely a distinctive role that he was chosen for. Though Rajat agreed to do the role but somewhere he wished if Mira could find someone else to play that part. However, that didnt happen and the entire film was shot. Sharing his experience, Rajat says, It was hard because of the part I was playing; otherwise it was one of the best shoots I have been a part of. And I feel that is because of the kind of person Mira is so warm and wonderful. Interestingly, despite giving such impeccable performances in films and television, Rajat would prefer the role of a director over an actor. Directors job is tough but it is a very satisfying experience, tells Rajat. He loves to act as he considers it one of the easiest jobs in the world. But he cautions that as an actor, you are a very small part of someone elses vision, which is great in its own ways. Recipient of two National Awards along with a Presidents Gold Medal, Rajat prefers to call himself more of a film actor though he loves the medium of theatre as well. Explains Rajat, I love being on a film set. It is a very satisfying experience to give a good shot for a film. However, the immediate response that you get on stage and sometimes the feeling of power that you feel over audience is unique too. He finds it difficult to choose his best performance till date but liked himself in the film Dil Chahta Hai directed by Farhan Akhtar. I had nothing much to do in the film, yet people noticed me. This means I must have done something right, he quips. Some of his other favourites roles are from films like Khoya Khoya Chand, Bheja Fry, Siddhartha and Mixed Doubles. It is interesting to note that to get a critical review about his performances; he depends on his wife, friends and collaborators. He elaborates, Because I know what they are saying, they really mean it- they really feel it. They are not trying to score a point, or trying to prove anything. They are a part of me, of my growth. We have grown together, at least where work is concerned. The popular actor has also don the hat of a television anchor with the show titled Lounge. Made for NDTV Good Times, the show invited real people to

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talk about their real stories and experiences. Regarding his experience, Rajat says, It was fun to be part of the show. I never thought that I would ever do something on those lines. However, after a couple of shows, he realized that anchoring is a different ball game altogether, which is very much different from acting on stage or in front of the camera. While anchoring you are being yourself, you are not performing for the audience. After a few episodes, I got a hang of it and then it felt easy, adds Kapoor. Meanwhile, Rajat doesnt deny the fact that acting as a career is full of uncertainties but adds that the possibility of immense fame, adoration and money can drive many to go mad and risk everything. Of course one in a thousand might achieve it, but that one case will inspire a million others to come out and try for the dream, sums up Kapoor. When home, he enjoys watching classic Hollywood films and even forces everyone around him to do the same. I am prejudiced towards classics. In fact, my kids have been educated with the best of cinema around them, says he. Currently, the acclaimed actor is busy finishing the film Ankhon Dekhi, which was shot last year and is in the final stages of post-production these days. Hopefully, the film is expected to release by the end of this year. We wish him all the very best for his forthcoming releases! l

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Theatre happened as a pure accident

(Continued from page 2) conceptualized a format ATELIERS CAMPUS THEATRE Festival aka ACT Festival, which took concrete shape in 2007 with its first episode for 6 days. The focus was the performances happening on the campus of the University of Delhi. From the first year only, the festival mesmerized the city with its energy and vigour. By the time, we reached its third episode in 2009; it was an established entity and the most coveted festival, not only in campus but across the city. In 2012 with its sixth edition, we extended it for 14 days with more than 35 performances. I think the connect of the festival is immense and stimulates emotionally and intellectually and hence its growing on its own, now. 4. Tell us about some of your creative teaching strategies that you use for teachers. A: I tried to create a corpus of performanceenhancing games and exercises, which are very efficient to teach and learn, while having fun. We explore it every time we conduct the session and its a dynamic form which needs lots of attention and fluidity in the changing paradigm of educational scenario. Its a must for all teachers and educationists. 5. The play Good Bye Blue Sky received a lot of critical acclaim, including appreciation in the form of Sahitya Parishad Award. Tell us more about the play and what led to the germination of the idea. A: Goodbye Blue Sky is an original play which Atelier Theatre produced and it has been performed for more than 25 times till 2007. The story of the making of GBBS is very interesting: from a 28 minutes theatre piece to a 63 minutes narrative over a period of two and a half year. It grew with each performance and actors were changed almost in each performance. Its a play which looks at the process of violence and the source from where it emanates. Blue Sky is a symbol of peace and GBBS is valediction to blue sky and peace both. 6. How can theatre be made more economically viable so that more people are encouraged to join the same? A: In a third world country like ours it will take a lot of time to reach that state where theatre becomes or will become economically viable. We all find our bread and butter in alternatives, I teach and work for films to earn my bread and butter and in return invest time, energy and money to take care of my kind of theatre. Also, the scenario is better than before but its a time consuming vocation which pays very little, only people with passion and sheer madness can survive. 7. How will you describe the growth of theatre culture in Delhi during the past few decades? A: I have witnessed theatre practices in Delhi for the last one decade. A lot has happened with a clear agenda. Professional theatre almost got a halt with the closure of basement halls in Delhi (Sriram Centre and India Habitat Centre). National School of Drama only caters to their own students. Auditoriums are exorbitantly expensive. Theatre groups face a lot of difficulty, the hardest being finding a rehearsal space. A few new groups have emerged alongside doing radically different kind of theatre and exploring sustainable model through training new breed of actors. Amateur theatre is taking the reins. A few reasonably good productions are happening with the support of festivals organized by Sahitya Kala Parishad (Govt of Delhi). Campus Theatre is the most happening thing which happened to Delhi and I humbly take the credit of nourishing it. If I am not wrong, the number of productions happening in the University of Delhi is more than the Delhi theatre circuit put together and not just number wise, quality wise as well. 8. How do you see the future of theatre in Delhi? A: Theatre in Delhi is in continuous flux and it has started taking shape. I feel it started in late nineties and now it has found a rhythm. Theatre needs nourishment for another five years and I am optimistic that we will justify Delhi as the cultural capital in future. Moreover theatre groups need to find out sustainable models to survive and perform on a regular basis. 9. How was the experience of working with National Award winning film Amu?

A: Amu is close to my heart and I lived the cameo character I played in the film. I have worked with the same director - Shonali Bose - again in another film of hers called Margarita, With a Straw and look forward to watching it soon. 10. Which theatre personalities inspire you and why? A: Habib Tanvir is the theatre person who has inspired generations and I am one of his admirers. I have watched all his work and met him on a couple of occasions. I feel his contribution to Indian Theatre is immense and unsurpassable. 11. We hear Performance Caf is the most ambitious project of Atelier till date. Tell us more about it. A: Yes. Performance Caf is a place which would be a regular caf during day time and would have a performance in the evening. Its more like a convertible black box which would take performances to people. 12. What are you currently working on? A: There is an original script I am writing called CONTROL Z. The second draft is ready and I plan to go on floor soon. 13. What are your future plans for Atelier? A: Atelier would have an auditorium in Delhi soon. A full-fledged International Artists residency in Ranikhet (Uttarakhand) is in making and will take a few years to develop. Atelier Theatre Repertory Company is active now with designers and directors working on a regular basis. l

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(Continued from page 3) not entirely bad thing but we really shouldnt need to struggle at every level. Which is pretty much the scenario today - leaving most theatre groups with only 40% energy to focus on what they are really supposed to focus on their creation! Today our audiences are also willing to pay more for theatre tickets which boosts the entire economics of theatre today. The other facet, which is very encouraging, is that young theatre practitioners are keen to seek training, whether in India or abroad and are going after it. This will impact the quality of work and will only enhance the entire ecosystem of theatre in India. Across the country, there are people (artists or ardent audience memberscum-patrons), who are creating their own spaces to host festivals or regular theatre engagements. This is creating wonderful watering holes of creative engagement which is enormously exciting. Activities ranging from places like Bareilly to Pondichery and beyond I hope this becomes a trend that catches on and becomes a movement of sorts. 4. Do you think more cultural hubs like Prithvi would encourage positive change in the theatre scene? A: Absolutely but this is a distant dream as the effort it takes is enormous. In India, we are quick to copy success stories but profit feature needs to be high. And with Prithvi model, the profit is zero, if not entirely negative. This is where privatepublic partnerships needs to come

Junoon for Theatre

into being but then we are asking for true visionary policy makers which is also a distant dream! 5. Coming from a Kapoor family, has it made your struggle in theatre easier? A: I cannot deny that it is much easier for doors to open and meetings to be made. And if I look at my 23 years of working in the field the cons have been miniscule in comparison to the pros. The one thing I would say was toughest for me not only the Kapoor connection but my family (i.e. Kendal too) is that a lot of how I worked or things I did came from a gut instinct and from ways of working that I simply imbibed from the atmosphere at home! So the greatest challenge has been trying to articulate these ways into transferable modes of functioning which is essential if one is really to build and grow anything. 7. You held the position of Prithvis director for 22 years. Tell us about your learning experience. A: Ouch that is everything I know! Far too much for me to even begin to share in this interview. But actually what is most interesting is that Junoon is going to really bear the fruit of all those years of learning. Throwing ourselves in the deep end Sameera (the co-founder of Junoon with me) and I are really taking huge risks with our new baby but it is a wonderful adventure and we are a year old and happy with our first year and terribly excited about this 2nd year and all that lies ahead. And most importantly along the way, we dream of creating an institution that lives beyond us and carries forward the work. 8. What led to the birth of Junoon? A: I guess I am actually quite ambitious. A friend of mine told me this one day and I was shocked thinking that ambition was always a negative thing! But it is true I have very ambitious dreams. I do not believe they are unrealistic (I am very practical at heart) and always paint pictures of the world I wish to see before me. Coming back to Junoon, it aims at honing the very best theatre and the performing arts have to offer and developing multiple platforms or touch points of engagement resulting in rich experiences for the artistes and the audience alike. We really want to see a world where the arts are as intrinsic in our lives as are clean water, electricity, good roads, medical and educational facilities. We will make our own little steps towards realising this world. 11. Parents encourage their kids more in academics than in arts. How can this attitude be changed? A: Aaaah! That is challenge - to build value of the arts in lives today, where they the the our are

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seen as a truly important and impactful part of our regular, daily lives. Where it is not an oddity to visit an exhibition or watch a play or a dance performance but is a normal almost routine part of what one does to feel alive and full. Our artists too need to find ways of building their audiences as well as challenging their own artistic status quo. Value can also be built by corporates playing a critical role as some have shown in the recent past. Also, the government needs to encourage and support arts with incentives to donors, of supporting spaces, of having onewindow licensing systems. The list is endless and yet it is exciting because there is so much to be done! 12. What is keeping you occupied these days? A: Junoons Arts at Play Summertime is about to begin. So, registrations are on for that. These workshops get our participants to discover their creative sides and get them to experience the freedom of exploring what this side is all about and the enormous benefits that accrue from allowing for this flight into the world of creative expression be it through theatre, puppetry, movement, words, clowning, juggling or clay! Our greatest desire is to see this programme grow to its full potential and touch the lives of children and young people across the city. 9. Tell us about your Arts at Play Summertime programme. A: Summertime was one of the very first programmes I began at Prithvi Theatre and is the one programme I

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took with me into Junoon. And it now runs under our Arts at Play banner that looks at various ways to work with and for children. Summertime is our annual public offering of delicious workshops for children aged 6 to 16. Our USP is the magnificent group of workshops conductors we have, who are all professionals from the arts and bring their years of experience in the field to the fore in their design and approach of their workshops. We do hope to travel with this programme in a couple of years. 13. What future plans? are your this is Shakespeareana (my grandparents Geoffrey & Laura Kendals theatre company) that toured India and performed in schools and colleges in the 1940s-60s. Even today, a single day doesnt pass without meetings someone, who recalls the magical experience of watching this company perform in their school, and transform Shakespeare for the them completely! This is what we wish to do to bring the magic of theatre to school children, year in and year out, working with contemporary Indian theatre and challenging texts. We are also working on a Public Parks programme where we wish to have corporates adopt parks, where we programme regular performances free of charge to the public. This comes from our strong belief that the arts have to be accessible and a regular part of our routine lives. We have a strong Corporate programme, where we engage with corporate employees and bring them transformative experiences through immersive engagements with the performing arts. We also hope to present one fabulous play a year on tour across the country but this depends largely on sponsorship so nothing is firmed up on this front yet! There is a brilliant play from the UK that we would love to tour but it all depends! 6. You acted in a couple of films before making a shift towards theatre. What was the main reason behind the shift? A: After acting in Hero Hiralal, I realised that I had no idea what it entailed to be an actress! I honestly had no clue and knew I had to go to drama school. So I did. I spent a year at the Herbert Berghoff Studio in New

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York and that was where I realised I just simply loved the live connect of theatre. And cinema just didnt attract me the same way. 14. We would love to see you act. Any plans? A: Nope! 15. How do you like to spend your family time? A: Very quiet, very at home or in the jungle or by the beach, scuba diving! 16. Does your son Hamir draw his career inspiration from you/ his father? A: My son Hamir is passionate about super cars! And at the moment aspires to be a TV Car Show host after his all time favourite show Top Gear! And I am patiently waiting for the day when he grows out of this passion! But until then I guess I am learning quite a bit about cars! l

A: We are currently working on a very exciting School Membership programme that brings students a wonderful array of 11 different kinds of engagements with performing arts. A huge inspiration for

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Rang Bayar in a University Campus...

(Continued from page 6) scholar of Urdu literature and poetry, along with cultural leaders from other theater groups, organized the first edition of the festival in 2012. In the second edition, from 30 March to 7 April 2013, there have been six jampacked performances at the auditorium of JNU convention center. Needless to say, each group has a unique biography of its own and thereby a distinct historical trajectory. The six groups are IPTA (JNU Chapter), Bahrup, Seher, Wings, Bhasha & SPICA Dhol, and Jumbish Arts. Except IPTA and Bahrup most of the groups are fairly new in inception. It is interesting to note that all these groups in JNU emerged in political disagreement with preexisting groups and a sense to depart from the preexisting styles and form of theatrical expression. But then, all of them share one characteristic in common- they claim to be working toward raising social consciousness against various instances of social malaise! And this sums up the politics of culturaltheater groups on JNU campus. In the apt words of Haadi Sarmadi, no longer theater is determined by the political groups of the time, the politics of the time is determined by the cultural appeals of the theater groups instead; nobody likes listening to the deadening political rhetoric of the leaders from political outfits, while for every single politically charged theater performance there are five hundred odd audience always present in the auditorium. The festival opened with the performance of Ek Kutte ki Kahani (Story of a Dog) by the Wings Cultural Society on 30 March, which laced biography of Sadat Hasan Manto with three of his famous short stories namely Thanda Ghosht, Kali Salwar, and Tetwal ka Kutta in an impressive script by Danish Iqbal. With a comprehensive appreciation of Mantos works and authorial psyche, the play explored the complex socio-political and cultural dynamics of his time. The director of the play was Salima Raza with an assistance by Tarique Hameed. It must be noted that this play has been performed across the region of South Asia (including India, Pakistan and Nepal) several times and Tarique Hameed convincingly boasts of it as the milestone performance of Wings. Khwahishen (Desires), directed and scripted by Mrityunjay Prabhakar, was performed on 31 March. It explored a novel issue of complexity in unsure romances in contemporary cosmopolitan spaces and politics of individual choice in interpersonal relations. The play is one of the most sought after performance of the group Seher and it profoundly departs from the political common sense of the university campus. The third in the series on 1 April was Chaarvak, originally a Marathi script by Vidyadhar Pundlik, translated by Manohar Gadkari, and directed by Vipul Pachauri. Based on the life of the propounder of the Lokayata philosophy Charvaak, the play questioned the Vaidik tradition. The play was performed in the idiosyncratic manner of IPTA. But it was largely the weakness in acting and directorial designs that could not maintain the

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tenacity of the script. This was the play whereby art and aesthetics were sacrificed for the dominant political rhetoric. The fourth play Itihaas (The History) on 2 April too could not fulfill the expectation of the milling crowd in the audience. The groups Bhasha and SPIICA Dhol are not much known for doing impactful theater. The directorial execution by Anjana Ghoshal and Ramendra Chakravarty of the script by Premanand Gajvi could not overcome the platitude on politics of freedom struggle and an ordinary understanding of the rift between Gandhi and Ambedkar. To offset the two disappointments, the fifth performance was by the Jumbish Art, of the play Eklavya Uvaach (Thus spake Eklavya) innovatively scripted by Kuldeep Kunal and directed by superbly imaginative Satish Mukhtalif. The play had a huge audience in rapt attention from beginning till the end with fantastic acting by the cast, very original folksy music and songs, and multilayered narrative. It questioned the caste discrimination not only in mythological tale of Eklavya, it also pried open the issue of caste and patriarchy prevalent in theater groups. And this was accomplished without getting lost in the familiar rhetoric of identity politics. Lastly, the sixth in the festival was Chauraha (The Crossroad) by Bahrup, an adaptation of a Marathi

play by Makrand Sathe under the direction of Suman Kumar. With a poor direction, sordid acting by the actors, shabby light work and stage design, and jarring music, Chauraha epitomized a lesson on what must be avoided in doing theater. The instances of freshness in ideologically charged plays are indeed far and few at the moment. Rang Bayar thus revealed a few biting truths about theater on campus. The expected professionalism in artistic exploration of human emotion is perhaps secondary for old as well as young groups. Each is vulnerable to lapse into political rhetoric on the pretext to be socially sensitive and progressive. Art is nearly a common casualty in manufacturing messages through theater on campus. However, the onerous is accompanied by the hope of new approaches coming from the younger theater artists. It must be due to the legacy JNU has been witness to since the early decades of 1980s and 1990s when a group named Jugnu (The Firefly) strived to offer alternative political imaginations to the politically disenchanted culture activists. Under the pioneering role of Vageesh Jha, a scholar of ancient history and currently a Delhibased educationist, the idea of multiple theatrical engagements sprouted. Haadi sums it up candidly, it is up to us, the cultural activists in the JNU theater circle, to carry forward the vision of a socially responsible theater. Despite ifs and buts, usual in a theater festival, the Rang Bayar- 2013, augurs well for the future of JNU theater. l

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