A familiar face in films and television commercials, M K Raina was a well-known figure in parallel cinema in the ’80s. A Kashmiri who had graduated from National School of Drama in 1970 with the Best Actor Award, he has been a freelance theatre worker and film actor, working all over India in many languages and with many forms of theatre since then. In the city for a workshop at Andhra University, Raina took some time out to chat with Metroplus on the present and past of Indian theatre.
How is the theatre scene progressing in India?
Theatre scene in India is vibrant as per content and form. While maximum work is being produced at the experimental level, it is still done individually and voluntarily. There are no big support systems or grants. That’s why I always call Indian theatre as the largest voluntary enterprise in the world. I wish there were strong support systems from the regional Sangeet Natak Akademi and regional cultural centres. The funds right now coming out of these places are going in the wrong direction. Good work in the theatre space always comes out of the non-funded groups. Indian theatre is today moving beyond proscenium halls, which is a colonial model and doesn’t give great freedom for creativity. For that purpose, theatre groups are using all kinds of spaces. However, there are very few such spaces in India where you can innovate. Tata has Experimental Theatre in Mumbai (NCPA) and there is one in Delhi where you can do whatever you want to. This dearth of space is a crippling situation for theatre today. Unfortunately we don’t have theatre architects in the country.
Here, there are many challenges amidst which theatre is surviving — challenges of space and of politics. Despite all this, some of the works are being recognised internationally. Sadly, the State is still sleeping. On one side, State talks about infrastructure and innovation but on the cultural space, they do nothing. A lot of avant-garde work is being done despite the challenges, but at an individual level and as long we have breath, we will continue to do so.
Your opinion on theatre festivals?
The younger generation today has such vibrant ideas and enthusiasm. You don’t need to give them awards or festivals. I am totally against festivals, which is a harvesting technique where the rich and the corporates get their great name, but they do not make efforts in making it. They have to help in the making of theatre. One remarkable experiment is ITC’s Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata from where some of the country’s finest musicians like Rashid Khan came out. Years are spent on creating that kind of a theatre space, but today such an effort is not being made anywhere.
Would this be perhaps the worst times for Indian theatre according to you?
In terms of backup, yes, this is the worst time for theatre. It has always been a big struggle, unless you are working on a production for National School of Drama.
Much has been spoken about the need to protect freedom of expression in creative spaces such as films. Do you have similar concerns for theatre?
We (theatre artistes) are hard nuts. We may do guerilla theatre if we are stopped! During the Emergency, my plays were banned but we never stopped doing theatre. Theatre is a bit of bitter nut but is a very nourishing nut which needs to be nurtured. Theatre is the safety valve of any democracy. An acclaimed folk theatre actor once told me that we were the medium between the ruler and the ruled. Because it questions, the unlettered politicians feel threatened. But if you have a confident polity, they will enjoy.
On different forms of theatre like Nukkad Natak (street theatre) as a voice of socio-political scenario
Telugu has a vibrant street theatre movement of Praja Natya Mandali. An all-woman group also came to perform in Delhi on a play on anti arrack and they were remarkable. Among the other positive developments from theatre is the feminist movement which is very strong.
On Indian history and its link with theatre
I have realised that the youth today have no idea of freedom movement in India. The sense of history is gone among the youngsters today. The social science part of it is not in the syllabi any more. That makes this generation, uni-dimensional human beings. They have no sense of giving, belonging and sharing. And that is dangerous. All my acting exercises are linked to bringing back the history of freedom struggle. Play comes from people’s materials; where else will it come from!
