The theatrewallahs

What is theatre?

Is it the pin-drop silence that we hear as soon as the curtains go up on the stage? Is it the spotlight falling on the actor’s face as he readies to deliver a dialogue? Is it the props or the story or the stagecraft?

Theatre is, because theatrewallahs are. If not for them, who would be the one managing the lights? Who would sound the gong for the play to begin? Who would spend sleepless nights writing the dialogues which would make the audience smile, laugh, cry or cheer? Who would go up on that small stage and light it up with their magical performances?

Nowhere in Mumbai does the beauty and the passion of the theatrewallahs come alive than at the opening night of the Prithvi Theatre Festival. To see Makrand Deshpande walk around as if he owns the place (his long-long association with Prithvi Theatre merits him that!), to see Gulzar make his humble entry only to be surrounded by young theatre enthusiasts eager to speak to the veteran poet and writer and to watch delightedly as the traditional lamp is lit and the gong sounded to mark the launch of yet another successful festival edition – this is only possible in a place like Prithvi!

Shashi Kapoor, who set up this theatre years ago in the memory of his father Prithviraj Kapoor, may not step out of the house because of his health issues but unfailingly, he comes to light the traditional lamp every year. Every actor, director or writer, for whom Prithvi is nothing less than a second home (and for some, almost their first!), pay their respects to the veteran actor before they proceed towards the performance.

This year, just like every year, the theatre decked itself in bright lights and waited for the theatrewallahs to arrive, and they did! Makarand was there, of course. We also spotted Lubna Salim, Lillete Dubey, Akash Khurana, Shabana Azmi, Akarsh Khurana, Naseeruddin Shah, Alyque Padamsee, Ratna Pathak Shah, Feroz Khan, Trishla Patel and Divya Jagdale. With every passing year, Prithvi adds a new gamut of actors and performers to its repertoire and so, we also noticed Kunal Kapoor (of Rang De Basanti) who's making his theatre debut with The Hoshruba Repertory's Ek Punjab Ye Bhi. He might just get addicted, more power to theatre!

The play for the opening night was Indian Ensemble’s Kaumudi, and Makrand invited Naseeruddin Shah to do the honours of launching yet another edition of the festival by speaking a few words, but Naseer being Naseer, preffered to clap his hand and set the ball rolling. The audience sat riveted as actor Kumud Mishra became the heart and soul of the play, with his performance of an ageing actor and of a father who is a stranger to his own son.The gathering of theatrewallahs continued to make merry once the play was over, catching up with each other over some delicious food. For the next few days, they would be busy, rehearsing and putting up shows for a loyal audience. But for now, they had each other’s company, under the canopy of Prithvi Theatre.

Much love
The Art Addict

P.S: For the first time this year, Prithvi Fest is introducing Udayswar, a curated early morning musical event. The good news is that Prithvi intends to make this a monthly affair, featuring different classical musicians each time.