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THE MAN
WHO RULES
A Rendezvous with Dr. Mohan Agashe
With over half of his life lived effortlessly on the stage, Padmashree Dr. Mohan Agashe can, safely, be called the last word of Marathi Theatre. Having introduced the GRIPs theatre form in the country, he is one of the rare names that has not just witnessed but experienced the various transitions of theatre in India. Presenting realism with a wit has always been the special feature of this artist cum Psychiatrist. At 65, Dr. Agashes recent plays Katkon Trikon and Aadhe Adhure have hit me a jackpot, in his own words. Recently presided the 93rd Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Natya Sammelan in Baramati, Dr. Agashe gets candid with Neha Ghatpande and Rashmi Kulkarni on theatre, gen-next and life. Interview on Page 2....
THE STAGE
INSIDE
CAF RENDEZVOUS CENTRE STAGE CAF CANVAS CAFE CRITIQUE
Pt.Vijay Ghate opens his heart out about his life, passion for music,new event Taalchakra and his beloved Guruji to Theatre Caf.
A detail overview of the 5th International Theatre Festival of Kerala and on going 34th Yatri Hindi Theatre Festival of Mumbai.
A photo feature of the 100th show of Satyashodhak: a biographical play on the life of caste crusader of 19th century Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.
Review of the new English play Blame It on Yashraj directed by Bharat Dabholkar and Marathi experimental play Kettakatha.
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Caf e RENDEZVOUS
From Page 1...
We recently experienced a huge applause at your entry on the stage in one of your shows of Katkon Trikon. After spending over five decades performing on the stage, does this reaction still enthrall you? Of Course! Its very egoboosting. But to be honest, when you are right about to enter the stage as a character in the play, it disturbs you, especially when you are aware that the audience claps for Mohan Agashe, not the character that he is playing. The audience understands the character only after watching the performance for a while. When I am on stage I want the audience to experience the character that I am playing. Not for myself, but for the audience, I have to forget who I am and enter a new character. Theatre is a live game. Hence this is a paradox of theatre. It comforts and disturbs at the same time. What drives you to continue theatre even after so many years? I cannot say what drives me; just as one can never understand where soul comes from in a body. I believe that each and every person is acting most of the times. It is a natural trait of humans; its just that I happen to take it forward. It works like a defence mechanism for us. I was lucky to have been in the company of great artists like Jabbar (Patel) and Satish (Alekar). This group sustained and nurtured my acting skills, so I continued. How different is the work culture today as compared to your initial acting days? The way todays generation perceives all relationships has changed. The artists of today are too professional. So much that they have become two different persons within themselves. Their relationship with surrounding and time has changed. When I go to the rehearsals, I am Mohan Agashe all the time. Todays generation has compartmentalised everything. There is no personal touch to their work. The young generation is a different species; they want to live 60 years in 30 so that they live 100 in 60. But my perception is different. I want to live 30 years in 30. When all of us want to excel, what is the hurry! is performed abroad. But they cannot as there are no funds. In India, theatre survives as it is a passion, not a profession. You brought the GRIPs theatre to the country. What is your view on the childrens theatre in India today? When we introduced the GRIPs theatre in India, it was a platform for the children with the children. Plays such as Nako Re Baba, Pan Amhala Khelaychay were realistically related to the experiences of children. There is a need of such exceptional plays today; plays that can become a mental diet for the children. There is too much of fantasy involved in childrens plays done today. Fantasy is necessary as well, but it should not deviate from realism. Which plays and artists that you watched in the recent years have been remarkable? The Marathi theatre has maintained its exceptional performances. I find every play from Satish Alekar, Vijay Tendulkar, Shekhar Phansalkar to the young
playwrights Vivek Bele, Shafahat Khan and Sachin Kundalkar equally remarkable. We have been lucky to witness varied flows of theatre since its inception. The young artists such as Mohit Takalkar, Nipun Dharmadhikari, Alok Rajwade, Madan Deodhar and many others are creating impeccable theatre. Their theatre is different than ours as their experience of living is very different. Their plays, their stories, their theatre are their way to rebel. Tell us about the plays that you always wanted to be a part of. (Chuckles) The neighbours wife always looks more beautiful! So the characters that I dont play always look more attractive to me. On a serious note, some of the characters played by veterans like Chandrakant Kale and Nasser (Nasseruddin Shah) attract me a lot. There are two characters that I wished to play- the character of chor (thief) in the Hindi play Charandas Chor and the main character in the English play Father by August Strindberg.
You have traveled across the world and experienced different forms of theatre. How different is the theatre in India, especially the genre of experimental theatre? There is no such thing as experimental theatre. Its just a perception. In Marathi, we call every show as prayog- an experiment. In India, there are two types of theatre- regional and English. The regional theatre, especially Marathi, does not receive good sponsorships and hence it is economical. There are artists who want to make it visually strong, like the Broadway that
Vijay, a two and a half-yearold boy heard his mother humming an old Marathi song in his family house in Jabalpur. Capturing the rhythm instantly while clapping his hand on the first beat of the Tala, he left his mother surprised as she thought that his sense of timing was a coincidence. Within no time she was forced to believe that it was more than guesswork as Vijay stayed tuned to the rhythm even when she started changing the songs. This incidence led to a discussion between Vijays parents, about his potentials. To try out his little ones talent, Vijays father gave him two cans of sway soap- a famous brand of that time.Vijay started to play with them like a tabla without missing the rhythm. When Pt.Vasantrao Deshpande was in Jabalpur for a performance, he spared a moment to see Vijays talent. Observing Vijays fingers move smoothly on the small tabla, he asserted to Vijays parents, give him appropriate knowledge and nurture his talent. Thus began the journey of a maestro- Pt.Vijay Ghate. Born and raised in Jabalpur, he was just another pupil learning table, but was not serious about it. While he narrates his musical
experiences with a childlike excitement, one can feel the humbleness in Pt. Ghates voice and honesty in his words When I was 13 years old, just like any other teenager, I did not bother much about my talents. But that time Ustad Zakir Hussain came to my city and performed for three days. Honestly, he zapped me, he mesmerized me; his performance touched me so much that I started learning tabla seriously and today it is because of him, I am capable of giving this interview to you, he confesses. 49-year-old Pt.Ghate learned tabla from Pt. Suresh Talwalkar by living with him for almost 10 to 12 years. Eventually, the existence of tabla came next to his pulse and this leaves evidence in his words as he says that Tala- the Rhythm is everywhere; it is in every one of us. Our heart beats in a certain rhythm, its speed increases when we are angry or it becomes slower when we are at peace. Rhythm completes the lifecycle, he adds. With this thought Pt.Ghate has started a movement to promote percussionists and named his event Taalchakra-cycle of a rhythm. The Taalchakra held during January 24 and 27 saw
some of the best percussionists including Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pt. Suresh Talwalkar perform in the Pune city. Having played tabla for almost all his life, performing with all the stalwarts and being named the only tabla player who is adept accompanying all the three streams of musicvocal, instrumental and dance, Pt.Ghate believes that not knowing everything about music drives me in my life. I am overwhelmed when people sum up my profile this way because I have always believed that God has given me an opportunity to be a musician. There is so much to learn. I am always focusing on what I dont know. Deep down in my mind I have this urge of learning more, he expresses humbly. Reminiscing his journey, Pt. Ghate regards his Guru Pt.Suresh Talwalkar at the top, saying, he did not just give me a technique to become a tabla player but taught me manners of a musicians and how to accompany all the streams of music. He has shown me the path on which I will keep walking with honesty. Indebted to his Gurus contribution in his life, the table maestro signs off addressing Pt. Talwalkar as my everything.
Nisha Ravindranathan
Beyond the small clusters of impatient theatre-goers and surrounding vendors hawking peanuts and soft drinks at the gate, the happy collision of strangers performers, volunteer and a queue that stretches snakelike from the ticket counter across the lush grounds of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi campus was an atmosphere filled with excitement for the 5th edition of International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK 2013) took place in Thrissur, Kerala, between January 15 to 22nd. The festival featured some
of the best contemporary national and international productions, a panorama of modern yet local productions, several theatre workshops by visiting practitioners and a series of academic lectures and seminars. There was also a special section dedicated to showcasing traditional performances, all packed into eight short, action-filled days. Looking at the huge response one must say the ITFok has become one of the prominent theatre festivals in the country along with the National School of Dramas (NSD) Bharat Ranga Mahotsav Theres been a tendency to compare ITFoK with
NSDs annual Bharat Rang Mahotsav since 2010, Festival Coordinator, Kesavan Nambudiri said, Probably because ITFok too, is as much about showcasing a large and varied selection of plays, both from India and abroad. For instance, this year, significantly, we had 14 foreign productions from total of 31 plays showcased. One could also see undeniably, that the festival has grown immensely and is still growing. Plays such as the installationesque Automatorium, dance theatre concept This is My Body, Come Into My Mind, bold adaptations of Shakespeare such as
HamletMachine and Indian Tempest, Gajab Kahani staged partly in Marathi and partly gibberish and the dreamlike and haunting after the silence and epic-inspired dance-drama Ravanama, told us instantly, what Mr. Nambudiri is quick to highlight about ITFoK; that there was a noticeable representation of young and new directors both from India and abroad in the festival. The general curatorial approach, he said, was in fact, to showcase more innovative and experimental work, for this is also, more and more, the sensibility of Keralite audiences. Since 2008 when
ITFok started, we have noticed that local audiences tend to favour more non-verbal theatre, even when scripts are in Malayalam. And one neednt look too far either, to seek out the evidence of such preferences. Once inside the theatre, all the world reduces to a stage, Is it any wonder then, that so many groups hope to be invited back here again? Nisha Ravindranathan (writer) is a freelancer & has a post-graduate degree in Shakespeare and Theatre from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford. She is currently based in Kerala.
Om Katare
Director, Yatri Theatre Festival
Tuza Rang Kasa by Mir Muneer which has completed 50 years. In Raavanleela, much hilarity and confusion prevails when a village production of `Ramleela` goes horribly wrong. The festival also featured a 25 minute live concert by Naviin Gandharv and his team. Naviin Gandharv, a young multitalented musician played the unique instrument called as
Belabaharr and the Tabla with equal passion and dexterity with his own distinct style which was a typical blend of the traditional and creative music developed from his mentors legendary Ustad Allarakha and Pt. Babulal Gandharv (the creator of the Belabaharr). Udayan Dhar (writer) is the Editor-in-Chief of the Pink Pages Magazine. 3rd FEB13 AT 8 P.M. 10th FEB13 AT 7.30 P.M. 17th FEB13 AT 8 P.M. 24th FEB13 AT 6.30 P.M.
This festival is dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the Indian woman. Five new platform performances (nukkad natak) will be staged at Prithvi during the festival. These performances include social satires, comedies, and live musical renditions.
SAVARKAR SMARAK, DADAR RANGSHARDA, BANDRA SAVARKAR SMARAK, DADAR EX. TATA THEATRE (NCPA)
Cafe CANVAS
Satyashodhak, a play written by veteran playwright G P Deshpande enfolds the thought process of anti caste crusader of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his tryst to live the truth that he perceived. Satyashodhak was a journey, started by Pune Municipal Corporation Workers Union and director Atul Pethe. Taking along amateurs, safai karmachari and rustic musicians, this play proved to be a nostalgic yet relevant experience for the audience. This play was staged across Maharashtra and even some part of India such as New Delhi and completed 101 shows from April 2012 to January 2013. While talking about this journey, Pethe expressed, Satyashodhak has completed 101 shows. This journey gave us an opportunity to look at theatre, society and life itself with a new perspective. But its 100th play which took place in the Phule Wada(where Mahatma Phule lived) on January 3, the day when almost a century ago Savitribai, wife of Phule started a first school for girls was a distinctive celebration of theatre, a beginning of revolution and Phules ideology. Photographer Shriram Patki enfolds this dramatic composition through his lens on Caf Canvas.
A scene depicts Peshvas and how they were engrossed in entertainment rather than ruling the state
A tale of grief: Victims of caste dominance narrate their story in the play
The opening shot: shahirs narrating the story of Mahatma Phule through powadas
Towards the Bright Future: Mahatma Phule (played by Omkar Gowardhan) telling the people that the future of society is dependant on the truthseekers
Humiliating Act: A scene Savitribai Phule (played by Parna Pethe) reacts after being humiliated by a group of brahmins after starting first school for girls
Ca fe PERSPECTIVE
with archival values. A large amount of work is not taken cognisance of, not because of any bias, but just that there is no guaranteed outlet for documenting it all. There is a dire shortage of writers who take interest in this type of writing, let alone their personal knowledge and interest in the art of theatre. Against this realisation, newer strategies will have to be devised and put into place, along with a committed team to see it through. Mere passion and a fervent appeal to float another such venture will not work. We have to learn from past mistakes and design the future. And this doesnt refer to the mere task of the physically bringing out a magazine or journal dedicated exclusively to theatre, but stringing in all the contributing elements, to weave a firm pattern, which will sustain. It is not an impossible task, but needs solid ground work and a firm belief in its success! Dr. Ajay Joshi is a practicing dentist, with a PhD in theatre criticism and an MA in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has freelanced as a theatre journalist for publications like Times of India, Indian Express, Saakal, PtNotes, Himal etc. He is involved in theatre as a media person, organiser, coordinator, judge and teacher.
Dharmakirti Sumant
After all this, I was exhausted with the theatre circle and out of that desperation I
Ca fe CRITIQUE
Vinayak Naidu
Humour can be evocative but when humour is draped in irony it brings out the deep-seated prejudices and presumptions in us. Satire is used as a powerful ingredient in humour to convey a message. This is evident in a new English play, Blame It On Yashraj by Bharat Dabholkar. Through various incisive observations of several aspects of our society it attempts to bring out the idiosyncrasies of different Indian cultures in a delightful humorous way. Taking a leaf from grand wedding ceremonies shown in Yash Chopra and Sooraj Barjatya films, the theme of the play celebrates the homogeneousness of Indian
Every story told in this play touches upon the issues that we face in the society today. A moment comes in all of our lives when we take a look at the decisions that we made and their consequences. It is easy to relate to each and every character as it gives one a feeling that their thoughts are getting a voice through the character. One story is about a boy living in slums and dealing with poverty, second story depicts the sexual frustration of a girl who is married yet forced to live separately from her husband. Third story is of a Muslim woman engaged in imagining how the world would be without any religion. The final story is about a youngster living a mundane life and is bewildered about What exactly career is? The performances by all the actors are apt and energetic. The highlight of the play lies in the outstanding light direction and set design, helping the stories create impact. However, the indications and references in the narration of the play sound outdated. Whether the writer of this play has purposefully written the narration in an old style remains unclear. At the end, Kettakatha definitely leaves audience with a satisfaction of having experienced a good play.
Cafe REPORT
and paintings, now the offices of the PMC authorities acquire the place. Mayor Vaishali Bankar has appointed one expert committee to decide how to use this place and I am sure that the auditorium will open in the next two months, said Dipti Chavdhary, Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and ex-Mayor of PMC. The project was sanctioned in the year 2001 and the construction has been started since 2003. With a project design of two art galleries, 250 to 300 chair theatre, projector room for short films, green room, science hall, library, cafeteria and play area for children, this auditorium was a dream for many theatre personalities. So far, PMC has spent around Rs 7 crore and yet only one art gallery has been opened.
Senior cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar, also a member of advisory committee, said, I got a letter from PMC four months ago and I accepted membership of the advisory committee. But till today, not a single meeting has been conducted. As per my opinion, the PMC does not have any interest in the auditorium and art galleries. A few months ago, the PMC authorities started to occupy space for their offices. I spoke to everyone but the PMC is apathetic. When contacted, the PMC sources said that the sealing work, acoustic work and work of air conditioning is still going on. In the budget of 20122013 the PMC has allocated Rs 80 lakh, which is insufficient and an excess of Rs 1.5 crore will be needed to complete the work. Kiran Yadnyopavit, a well known theater personality and filmmaker said, The then PMC commissioner Nitin Karir had invited Amol Palekar, Satish Alekar, Ashok Kulkarni, Makarand Sathe, Atul Pethe and representative of each and
every theater groups of Pune for a meeting for the project. The meeting concluded with the decision that this auditorium to be made into a habitat for experimental theater. Even veteran playwright Vijay Tendulkar visited the site and congratulated the architect of the project for such great work. During that time the civil work of the project was on the last stage. I wonder why the project is still pending. Interestingly, the PMC has opened the Sahitya Samrat Vijay Tendulkar Natyagruha at Parvatidarshan which was built later while the auditorium
Mangesh Tendulkar
Senior cartoonist
I got a letter from PMC four months ago and I accepted membership of the advisory committee. But till today, not a single meeting has been conducted. As per my opinion, the PMC does not have any interest in the auditorium and art galleries.
Pandit Ramesh Narayan, vocalist from Kerala, known as the torch bearer of Mewati Gharana, conducted a continuous recital of Hindustani Classical music for record breaking 36 hours, on January 19. The recital was held at the Shantaram pond in the premises of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and it concluded on the evening of January 20. Pt.Narayan hails from a family of Carnatic musicians settled at Kuthuparambu near Kannur, North Kerala and was awarded the Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy Award last year for his contribution in Indian
Classical Music. Pt.Narayan presented the vocal recital in accordance with the samayachakra of ragas, as an act of embodying the spirit and essence of Hindustani classical music. Being a pupil of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj and preferred inaugurating the event by taking his gurus blessings over phone, Pt. Narayan dedicated this event to Paramgurus, legends and leaders of the past and present of Indian and World music as well as other art forms world literature and science and social reform. And so, the backdrop on the stage illustrated pictures of 136 luminaries ranging from Gangubai Hangal, Begum Akhtar to V. Shantaram and from Ram Ganesh Gadkari to Charlie Chaplin, Hitchcock to Einstein through Bimal Roy, G. Arvindan,Lokmanya Tilak and so on.
The Academy of Music, Koregaon Park proudly hosted the first ever Christopher Norton Piano festival in India from January 11 to 13. Nortons performance made it a weekend to remember for the festival participants. Christopher Norton is a New Zealand born British pianist and is known in the world music industry as a composer, producer, arranger and educationalist. He has written stage musicals, ballet scores, piano music, popular songs and orchestral music as well
as jingles and signature tunes for TV and radio. The unique three day event featured invigorating improvisation groups where the students of all levels and ages improvised and jammed with the composer. Each group was followed by master classes which were positively inspirational learning experiences with the students working with the composer on one of his works. Norton also presented three engaging workshops entitled Getting started keeping it
going, Getting Vertical, and Unlocking popular styles. The events culminated with a gala recital on the final day featuring every one of the 62 festival participants in improved groups and several participants individually selected by the composer to play his solo works. The festival drew 62 participants from Pune, Bangalore and Mumbai. This was a one of its kind event that enabled students to enjoy popular music making in a non competitive environment.
Cafe PREVIEW
MUMBAI
The Bureaucrat (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 2, 2013 7pm CHAI N WHY (English) Prithvi Theatre Juhu February 3, 2013 11:00 am SALAAM.. 1950S KE NAAM (Hindi) Prithvi Theatre Juhu February 2 &3, 2013 6:00 pm & 9:00 pm Chapha (Marathi) NCPA, Nariman Point February 7 06:30 pm Death of a Salesman (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 9 & 10 07:30 pm RAAVANLEELA (Hindi) Rangsharda Auditorium Bandra(w) February 10, 2013, 7:45 pm PRITAM PYARE PAPPUJI (Hindi) Sivaswamy Auditorium Chembur February 10, 2013,7:45 pm
SHYAMPRIYA (Hindi) Prabodhankar Thackrey Auditorium Borivali(w) February 14, 2013, 8:45 pm LOVE AFFAIR (Hindi) Sathye College (Wide Angle Auditorium) Vile-Parle (East) February 15, 2013, 7:00 pm The Ugly One (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 15, 07:00 pm RAAVANLEELA (Hindi) Veer Savarkar Theatre Shivaji Park February 17, 2013, 8:00 pm Gates to India Song NCPA, Nariman Point (French Play in English) February 21, 07:00 pm All in the Timing (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 23, 07:00 pm Dance Like A Man (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 23,07:00 pm The Diary of a Word (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 24, 07:00 pm The East India Co.medy Show (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 23,2013, 08:00 pm Chinta Chhod Chintamani (Hindi) NCPA, Nariman Point February 24, 07:00 pm
The Diary of a Word (English) NCPA, Nariman Point February 24 07:00 pm Sanskruti Kaladarpan Film and Drama fest: (Marathi) Yashwant Natya Mandir, Matunga Between 17 to 22 February 13 Chinta Chod Chintamani (Hindi) Veer Savarkar Theatre, Shivaji Park February 3, 8:00 pm NCPA Experimental Theatre, Nariman Point February 24, 7:00 pm BLAME IT ON YASHRAJ (English) St. Andrews Auditorium Bandra(w) February 3, 2013, 7:30 pm Prithvi Theatre Juhu February 3, 2013, 7:30 pm Sophia Bhabha Hall Breach Candy February 17, 2013, 7:30 pm NCPA Tata Theatre Nariman Point February 24, 2013, 7:00 pm
PUNE
Ashok Patkis workshops Sudarshan Rangamanch February 1 &2 Full Day Alibaba ani Chalishtale Chor (Marathi) Jyotsna Bhole Sabhagruh February 2 to 3, 7:00pm Paani Me Ani Savlya (Marathi) Sudarshan Rangamach February 3, 7:00pm Musical programme based on poems by Narayan Surve Sudarshan Rangamancha February 9 Ruhaniyat @ Pune Indian Musical Programme Empress Botanical Garden, Camp February 10,2013, 6:00pm Ek Ehsaas A Legendary Tribute (U) Ganesh Kala Kreeda Manch, Swargate February15, 2013, 7:00pm Melange - A concert with a difference by Mahesh Kale narrated by Ashvini Bhave February 03, 2013, 9:30 pm MOHIT CHAUHAN- Live In Concert in Mlange 2013 Mahalaxmi Lawns, Pune February 17, 2013, 5:00 pm
Wah Guru (Marathi) Bharat Natya Mandir, Sadashiv Peth February 2 5.00pm Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 3 12.30pm Sangit Saubhadra (Marathi) Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 7, 5.00pm Final Draft (Marathi) Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 9, 5.00pm Proposal (Marathi) Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 10, 12.30pm Gandhi Adva Yeto (Marathi) Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 10, 5.00pm Majhiya Bhaujina Rit Kalena (Marathi) Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha, Kothrud February 10, 9.30pm Aparadhi Sugandha (Marathi) Bharat Natya Mandir, Sadashiv Peth February 16, 9.00pm
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The Marathon Recital A festival of notes with Nortan by Pt. Narayan at FTII
Photo Courtsey: FTII
Cafe SPOTLIGHT