Indian theatre steps into a new age of storytelling
Micro-dramas, AI co-actors and bolder storytelling help Indian theatre rewrite the rules
A few months ago, New Delhi hosted the fourth edition of India’s micro-drama festival, Thespis. Ten-minute plays in 30 Indian languages, featuring 600 performers, took over LTG Auditorium and turned out to be a resounding success.
One wonders if Indian theatre – shaped by works like Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq, Habib Tanvir’s Charandas Chor, or Mohan Rakesh’s Ashad Ka Ek Din, to name a few – is being reduced to bite-sized moments because there is barely an appetite for two-hour-long plays in this age. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Technological advancements, corporate sponsorships, more exposure, high-quality spaces and festivals, and fresh content are all driving a renewed interest for urban Indian theatre across the country and the world. Indian theatre has always blended in diverse narratives, from folk culture and ancient texts to unique traditions and other performance arts, all of which lend the form an enduring allure.
Now, fresh voices, glitzy theatres, digitalisation and the power of social media are helping it grow exponentially, drawing in all kinds of audiences from around the world.
Content leads the way
Artist Sohini Sengupta, who helms Nandikar, one of Bengal’s — and India’s — most prestigious theatre groups, believes that if theatre doesn’t evolve to include new actors and modern content, it will lose its relevance.
“At my age, if I get on stage to dole out a lot of gyaan (lengthy advice), younger audiences will not come to watch me,” she says. To this end, Sengupta’s directorial show Panchajanya, which has been running to packed houses for a while, makes a mark.
“Panchajanya is a subversion of the Mahabharata, where the Battle of Kurukshetra is seen through the eyes of Gandhari,” says Sengupta. “I’ve cast young actors, they learned kalarippayattu, a form of Indian martial art, and someone buying a Rs250 (Dh10.50) ticket will think it’s paisa vasool (value for money).”
Thanks to the digital revolution, more and more plays are being staged and showcased, says Dr M Sayeed Alam, founder of New Delhi-based Pierrot’s Troupe.
In spite of this, however, Dr Alam maintains that drama in its purest form – driven only by content and acting prowess – will always be relevant. His plays like Ghalib in New Delhi, which is one of modern India’s most popular plays, and Akbar The Great Nahi Rahe, still run to packed theatres.
Challenges and changes
In July, Dr Alam performed two plays in Dubai, Pehle Aap and Main Azad Hun, and his productions present subtle commentaries on modern affairs. But does that create problems for him and his group?
“My plays are like RK Laxman’s cartoons,” says Dr Alam. “People enjoy my light-hearted political commentary simply because everything stays within the walls of the auditorium.” But over the past few years he has noticed that sponsored events come with a certain level of censorship. “How can I perform a play like Maulana Azad without being political?” he asks.
Celebrated director and founder of The Company Theatre, Atul Kumar, concurs. “There is a different sort of energy that exists today and a constant sense of anxiety,” he says.
“When I take my plays outside metropolitan spaces, organisers always go through everything with a fine toothcomb and often recommend removing lines or scenes to avoid trouble.” Kumar also mentions that with some of his plays, actors have secret exit routes in case things go awry.
But this isn’t just an Indian experience, it is global. Kumar talks about how an Indian version of Macbeth faced censorship abroad, and the team had to negotiate what to drop and what to retain based on certain directives.
So, are there silver linings anywhere?
“I prefer to see the positive side of things,” Kumar says.
For example, with the advent of artificial intelligence in performing arts, Kumar is already studying the field to see how it can be harnessed.
In fact, he is going to act in an Amitesh Grover production, written by Sarah Mariam, where he stars opposite AI – a solo performance.
In the last century, there have been countless threats to the existence of theatre – cinema, TV, and now OTT. Theatre, though has not just survived but thrived and is growing today.
There are so many more theatre spaces today, more technological advancements for better shows, more drama schools, festivals and grants and greater mobility.
“There was a time when we didn’t know what was happening in the theatre scene unless a play came to your city,” says Kumar.
“Now we even know what’s going on in some small rural theatre on the other side of the world, and we can stream their plays online,” he says, adding, “I’m all for modernisation and change. Theatre is an ever-changing organism and it should always remain that way.”
Sign up for the Daily Briefing
Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox
