Theatre of Relevance – People’s movement! - Manjul Bhardwaj

 3.

Theatre of Relevance – People’s movement!

- Manjul Bhardwaj

The white kafn became Flag of Peace & converted Mob into peace loving Audience! After massive campaign of performing play ‘Dur se kisi ne Awaz di’ peace prevailed. We started performing on issues concerning common masses & society at large. We performed plays on illiteracy, alcoholism & Drugs, superstitions, Dowry, Education, adoption, etc. The plays performed during this time were Ek Nai Subah,Yamraj Ki Maut, Ye Bhai Zara Dekh ke, Ekta Ki Taqt, Sangrsh Karenge, Duttuk etc. We also did two stage production too Dekha Dekhi on consumerism & Mrinal Pandey’s Aadmi Jo Mucchuaara Nahin Tha. We reached each nook & corner, every slum & basti of Mumbai. Infact, there was not a single area left where we have not performed, such was the madness. At times we performed more than 10 performances a day!

Connecting masses to theatre, involving audience in every aspect of play preparation was the motto. After the performances we were holding detail discussions with audience. This was an empowering process for the audience. This process was giving a platform for the audience i.e.to ‘be heard’. Through this ‘platform’ audience was raising their concerns, pain & agony of their life. This section of the society was the marginalized. Migrated laborers mostly dalits & economically oppressed class from different parts of Maharashtra & India settled in small huts in Mumbai. Our performances were liberating experience for the audience.

Individual passion was invested in young performers & a team of enthusiastic performers evolved. 10 to 15 performers were regular in the team at that time. They were grooming themselves as performer. Team was exploring & experimenting with space, style, form & content. They were grooming themselves among & with the people. Voice & body was the only instrument of my performers. We used to convert the whole space into a performing area. For example while performing on a street we used the thelawala’s thehla, chaaywala tapari, vegetable market & seller, etc. Performers were interacting with the audience, also allowing audience to share their views in a live performance.

It was a ‘Theatre of Relevance’ mass movement. When theatrewalas were crying for audience, we were always surrounded by audience. When the famous faces were shouting no plays are written. We wrote more than a dozen plays. When theatrewalas were queuing in front of business houses for sponsorship, the marginalized sections were our financial strength.

Let me share a phenomenal example. A laborers group from a slum in Mankhurd wanted to host our performance. They were feeling sad that they have no money to host us. I spoke to them. How much each one of You can contribute. They said each one of us can contribute 10 rupee each. I asked how many can come together & contribute. In this process this group mobilized 300 members. Each member contributed 10 rupee & they collected Rs3000/ rupees. I said we will take our traveling expenses & whatever you want to give us we will happily accept. They gave us (actual bus ticket fare from Bandra to Mankhurd, In 1993-1994 one way bus fare was Rs 5. ) So they gave us Rs 650/( 150 for our conveyance & 500 honorarium).

Through such experiments we build co-operatives, organized the unorganized masses. Converted small amount into a functional resource, helplessness into hopefulness & nurtured a theatre audience. Created Performers who wanted to perform for people & people who wanted to nurture such pro people theatre movement.

#TheatreofRelevance #peoplesMovement #ManjulBhardwaj

…to be continued…