What theatre is doing in a polarising world

In times of crisis, one often finds oneself turning to art for respite. Quite apt then that the theme for World Theatre Day 2024 (March 27) was ‘Theatre and a Culture of Peace’. 

In an increasingly polarised political climate, what is the role of theatre? And where does Indian theatre stand today? How does an ancient art form stay relevant in a digital world?

“I think theatre has always been very sensitive to what is happening around it. Theatre’s turnaround time is three to six months, unlike film or books, which typically are in the making for a few years,” says director Quasar Thakore Padamsee. 

However, in a country where safe spaces for free speech are scant to non-existent, Mumbai-based Padamsee finds his contemporaries thinking of ingenious ways to circumvent the strictures laid down by those in power. “For instance, In ‘Miah Boys Diaries’, written, directed and enacted by Atif Ally Dagman, a modern Muslim boy discovers his own Muslim-ness. And in ‘A Study of Fear’, by the same director, a young Hindu boy attends the funeral of his Muslim friend. He is unaware of the Islamic customs and so turns up in a suit, because that is what he has seen on television,” shares the artistic director of QTP Entertainment. 

Dalit narratives

He also cites the example of Bengaluru-based theatre artiste Sri Vamsi Matta’s ‘Come Eat with Me’. The experimental piece sees Matta performing a play and cooking Dalit food for the audience. “Not everyone is shouting anti-government slogans, but using their craft to represent their communities and help audiences understand them better. One can respond to hate in different ways,” he explains.

Hyderabad-based Mohammad Ali Baig, president of the Qadir Ali Baig Foundation, points out that unlike cinema, propaganda has not seeped into theatre. “For me what is important is talent, and not their political ideologies or religious leanings,” he shares. His plays lay emphasis on the history and syncretic culture of India. 

The Padmashri awardee, who ‘never picks up plays off the shelf’, explains that it is important for narratives to connect with the audience. “There should be some takeaway for the spectators. They are spending a good part of their day coming to watch the play, despite easy access to other sources of entertainment. One should respect their time,” he says. He adds that ‘theatre of the absurd’ might be what directors and artistes want to experiment with, but such narratives often ‘scare the audience away’ from the art form.  

Propaganda on stage

Contrary to Baig’s observations, Bengaluru-based playwright and director Abhishek Majumdar believes that theatre has not been immune to propaganda. “In some spaces, plays have become very celebratory, they are being used for furthering propaganda and the Hindutva agenda. It is a very simplistic way of thinking of one nation,” Majumdar says. He points out that state-sponsored art is at risk of not doing its job ‘which is to be on the side of the people’. Labelling it a ‘troubling development’, he says,  “It might look like it is on the side of the people but it avoids complexity and scepticism. I am sceptical of art that is not sceptical.” 

This year, plays celebrating poets and their work have caught Majumdar’s attention. Politics is another popular topic in recent months. In urban areas, there’s a focus on narratives with individuality at their heart. “They emphasise the person’s own experiences. So there have been a lot of solo plays in the last few years,” he shares. In smaller towns and villages on the other hand, theatre is more of a community activity and the plotlines reflect that. “This is also a mirror to how people live their lives in these two settings. In cities, we live in silos and experience our lives completely differently because of that isolation,” he observes. He also shares that in rural settings, there has been a push to be political in a very direct way. “Traditional art forms keep their themes universal,” he explains. For instance, in Yakshagana, the stories are taken from the ‘Mahabharata’ or ‘Ramayana’. The themes in these texts are timeless as they tackle the larger ethical problems society often finds itself face to face with. It doesn’t necessarily have to bring in issues like CAA or NRC, he reasons.

More spaces for art

The restrictions on free speech notwithstanding, the theatre scene in the country is vibrant, says Padamsee. As cities have grown, so have smaller, more intimate performance venues. “In cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, there are little pockets with 50- to 60-seater spaces. Suddenly the focus is on the art and not selling tickets, which is great for theatre,” he adds. 

That said, he calls for better theatre infrastructure and support from the government. “All the infrastructure for theatre has been from the private sector. Whether it is the NMACC in Mumbai, Ranga Shankara in Bengaluru or the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi. It would really make a difference if we received government support,” he says. 

Majumdar advocates for an art policy that can employ the sceptics, artistes and craftsmen of society ‘who will be free from financial pressure and can serve the country by asking the right questions, by entertaining audiences and bringing in different ways of thinking without dogma from the government.’