Driving force

Members of a Dubai-based non-profitable drama group talk about their love and passion for theatre


The world's greatest thinkers have often been amateurs; for high thinking is the outcome of fine and independent living, and for that a professional chair offers no special opportunities." This famous quote by Havelock Ellis stands true for Theatrics, a local amateur non-profit drama group recently formed by K. Chandrasekhar.

Theatrics recently staged their first show, Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, at the Dubai World Trade Centre Auditorium. The play was well appreciated and as a result the group has received an offer from the Dubai Concert Committee to stage shows for them.

Each one of the 15 or so odd members of Theatrics is well settled and almost towards the top of the ladder where their career is concerned. But for the love of theatre they take out time and perform.

A chartered accountant since 25 years, Chandrasekhar has been interested in cinema, art and drama. Chandrasekhar has acted and directed dozens of plays with his Delhi-based theatre group, Chingari. Three years ago, he moved to Dubai, and is currently working for Emirates airline as a regional audit manager.

"After settling down in a new place, and being continuously pushed by Vishika and Asha (two members of the group who had worked with Chandrasekhar in Delhi before), I was all set to form a local theatre group in Dubai."

"We do not have any memorandum for those who want to join. There is no money to be earned and paid, but there is a lot of hard work. I think if you fit into a certain group or work ethic, you will belong to it, and if you don't, you will leave anyway. The doors are open to anybody with a passion for theatre."

But why not take the theatre professionally?

"I prefer pursuing theatre as a hobby rather than profession. As an amateur you get to have fun and enjoy theatre in its true spirit, mainly because you don't have to think of markets, producers, sponsors, audiences and paycheques. I must also say, that like in most theatre groups, every member gets to do everything at one time or another. There are no fixed actors or backstage workers."

There is a woman behind every man's success, but for Theatrics, Vishika Gupta is the driving force behind the group's achievements, or so claims the entire team. Working as an HR assistant for Philip Morris, Vishika comes from an artistic background.

"Paints, brushes, palettes have been my friends since childhood. Music and dance is in my blood. To perform on stage has been my passion and to work offstage is a challenge which I enjoy. Theatre is one of the most rewarding mediums of expression."

Asha D'Souza played the female lead in Black Comedy. In Dubai since 1997, Asha has done a lot of amateur theatre in India.

"Theatre for me is a medium. I am very fond of it. It breaks a few barriers in our minds and we are never the same afterwards. Theatre, at whatever level - big or small - has given me immense joy."

Samuel Bhite, who played the male lead, has been in Dubai all his life. He works as an audiovisual officer and has joined Theatrics in order to do backstage work. Little did he knew that he would be pushed to perform the leading role.

"I was quite apprehensive when Chandrasekhar asked me to play the lead. I grabbed the opportunity because it was challenging and extremely exhilarating. The group supported me throughout the play. Initially I was being directed, but after seeing everyone free-wheel their own characters, I also took a gradual transformation."

Jimish Thakkar is a web and multimedia designer working for an advertising agency and is settled in Dubai since four years.

"I was immensely involved in dance and college activities and had never acted in a play apart from doing short skits. Theatre was something that I wanted to do professionally, and web designing was my second choice. But now I have the best of both worlds."

Dhanji Dedhia, a market researcher has been in Dubai since seven months. A miming artist, Dhanji has taken part in various regional plays in the past. Even after acquiring a diploma and degree in engineering and MBA, his passion for theatre persists.

"I have previously taken part in a lot of social and street plays. I must say that when we started Theatrics, we did not know where we were heading. We used to meet just for the love of theatre, not caring about finances or anything else. But we have actually cracked it with our first performance and are proud of it."

It would be wrong to call Kartik Iyer an amateur. A copywriter for an advertising firm, Kartik has been in Dubai since two years. He joined the group one week before the production and proved himself to be one of the most valuable team members. He did voice and body workshops with the group, a field in which he has trained professionally. All members claimed to have gained a lot from his presence. Kartik has done theatre for 10 years in India, working with a group called Madras Players, the oldest theatre group in Chennai.

"I came to know about the group through word of mouth and joined them. I was told lot of things about the group members and I wanted to be a part of it."

Himanshu Vashishthah is in market research. "I must be the most far removed person from theatre, but now am fond of it. When I came across the group, more than anything else, I liked the members. Each one of us has to sacrifice in terms of time, family and friends for one small production, but it all feels worth it, because that is what you want to do."

Dipika Kalra has done her masters in social work and works for Dnata as a travel consultant. She has always been interested in theatre and has performed in a few plays in school apart from working with Chandrasekhar during his Chingari days.

Aparna Ray also works in market research and has been in Dubai since a year and a half. "My exposure to theatre was just in viewing it. I joined the group two weeks before the play was to be staged and had to jump into a character's shoes all of a sudden. But thankfully, I was able to perform decently." Everybody contradicted this statement as they all were of the opinion that Aparna had performed exceptionally well.

The group has decided to start off with at least two productions a year.