The National School of Drama's annual theatre festival will be a celebration of differences.
On Wednesday, the National School of Drama’s annual theatre festival, the 11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, which is recognised as the largest in Asia, took off with a bang. The inauguration ceremony will be remembered for long, by all those who witnessed it, for the spirited and theatrical speech by the special guest on the occasion — the 92-year-old, ever-young Zohra Sehgal, who, through her long, tumultuous journey in the field, embodies the history of modern Indian theatre.
And it is befitting that she rendered Hafiz Jalandhari’s famous lines Abhi to main jawan hoon with such aplomb. It is reflective not only of her own undying spirit but also the spirit of all theatre-workers who do not give up despite all odds. Listening to her was truly an inspiring experience, to say the least.
The evening wound up with the staging of a musical Marathi play which was an attempt to contemporise the popular musical theatre tradition. It was an example of the past enriching the present, as also of theatre as a composite art form. The music in the play was exquisite and the singers, particularly the younger ones, took one’s breath away with their effortless rendering flowing from classical to fusion and back. The number of people who sat enthralled till the end of the performance was also indicative of the fact that theatre breaks all barriers, including those of language.
Speaking of barriers of language, this year’s festival, like others, will have plays in around 18 different languages that will represent many more different cultures. These plays will naturally belong to different genres presented in a variety of styles. In effect it is a celebration of differences. A celebration where all these differences come onto the same platform and assert some common concerns and varied sensitivities, and sensibilities. They also assert the power of the arts to bridge differences, which is much required in the present global climate of several uncertainties, vulnerabilities and anxieties.
What one particularly looks forward to are the plays from regions or countries that are strife-torn or war-torn. This is so because the plays offer us an opportunity to hear the voice of the common people, as against that of the aggressors or the establishment, which the media is constantly giving to us. In the current festival, there seems to be some focus on the theatre of the neighbouring countries, with around seven plays from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
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Of special interest is a play from Israel. Witnessing these plays is a very emotional experience, as most of the groups in these countries, particularly those in Afghanistan, in doing theatre put their lives at risk from fundamentalist forces or even political establishments, which often come under criticism in these plays.
These efforts underline the power of theatre as protest, as assertion of one’s space and freedom to speak out, and the potential of the arts and artists in the fight against oppression. The festival affords an opportunity to share these efforts, understand and respect differences, break stereotypes and form human ties for a long, long time.
