27032021-LSTL-01.qxd 3/26/2021 11:24 PM Page 1 c m y b ‘IT IS TRULY HUMBLING …’ Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana finds it humbling that people find him relatable and says his career journey is the same as every Indian who is trying to carve a name. “It is truly humbling to know that the people of India find me relatable…,” Ayushmann said. IANS TRIBUNE Shoot time Actress Kangana Ranaut took to Instagram to announce that she is off to Jaisalmer for the shoot of her next film, Tejas. In the picture, the actress can be seen praying. IANS LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 27 MARCH 2021 On World Theatre Day, artistes and directors share their views on whether the digital space is the way forward The show must go on… S IXTY YEARS on from when it was first commissioned in 1961, the World Theatre Day, celebrated on March 27, the ongoing pandemic has created an indefinite distance between theatrelovers and artistes. As television and online platforms come to the rescue of theatres, we ask actors and directors if this matches the on-stage experience and whether this is the new way forward… INTERIM DECISION Renowned Chandigarhbased theatre-person Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry has had her play, Black Box, staged digitally recently. She believes that necessity is the mother of invention! “When a play is documented, it is neither theatre nor a film, and one cannot call it a stepsister to cinema. I just see it as an interim decision and not a permanent space,” she says RE-BIRTH OF THEATRE Director, actor and writer Mahesh Dattani has a long list of plays to his credit, including Dance like a man, The big fat city, Final hooked on to it. In that sense, televising the plays during the pandemic has done something right for our medium.” She looks forward to this new development, as a play can be brought to the people if the reverse isn’t happening anytime soon! TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT ❝ ❝ ❝ WHEN A PLAY IS DOCUMENTED, IT IS NEITHER THEATRE NOR A FILM... I JUST SEE IT AS AN INTERIM DECISION AND NOT A PERMANENT SPACE WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SURVIVE, MAKE MONEY. IF THE WAY FORWARD IS ONLINE PRODUCTIONS, THERE IS NO HARM. IT IS HARD TO TELL WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, BUT I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A RATHER FORCIBLE ENTRY OF THEATRE INTO DIGITAL SPACE NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY LILLETE DUBEY MAHESH DATTANI solutions, 30 days in September and Where did I leave my purdah. He says, “Although it was a dark year for theatre, it wasn’t a year wasted. Many had to come to terms with the fact that the concept of time and space, something that we use as tools in theatre, had to be redefined. This has been thrust upon us, but as theatre artistes we must have an ongoing relationship with the here and now. It is hard to tell what the future holds, but I think this has been a rather forcible entry of theatre into digital space.” CHANGING CONTOURS Himani Shivpuri, who is part of Zee Theatre’s popular play Hamidabai Ki Kothi, says, “Many would go to watch a movie in cinema hall, but taking them to theatre was a task. But once you are introduced, you are immediately c m y b Actor and theatre director Lillete Dubey, who was last seen in an anthology, Unpaused, talks about the impact of the pandemic on theatre, “I know some of us have tried to do things online and it’s wonderful. I have nothing against it, but, personally, I feel the very essence of theatre is human interaction. And that is what I miss the most.” Lillete has directed Zee Theatre plays, Adhe Adhure and Womanly Voices. She adds, “We have to find a way to survive, make money. If the way forward is online productions, there is no harm. But, yes, these are temporary stopgap arrangements and this is not how theatre is supposed to exist or thrive, either now or in the future…” SAFE & SOUND Sarla, believes theatre has FOR THE FUTURE Actress Sonali Kulkarni had Actress Aahana Kumra, who never been a lucrative to call-off an international is a part of the play Sir Sir source of income in India. tour for her play White Lily She adds, “Artistes pursue and Night Rider due to the theatre for passion. And to pandemic. She says, “The keep that passion alive, we seriousness of the pandemshould digitise plays to ic sank in when airports keep a record of what were shut down. I think they represent and digital platforms are the archive them for the key now. No matter which next generation language you want because we never to watch a play in, know what the there are options future holds. available. So even Regardless of what though there are happens, theatre constraints, it will survive has opened the because there’s doors through an audience eager which you can to watch a play reach the audiand we just need ence in a safer to reach them in way during the one way or the HIMANI SHIVPURI, AAHANA KUMRA AND SONALI KULKARNI other.” — TNS pandemic.”