R.P. Sahu, the name rings a bell among Oriya theatre buffs in Visakhapatnam. A committed theatre person who has been a livewire for Oriya theatre in the port city for over 25 years is a familiar face in the city’s cultural circuit. In recognition of his service to the cause of Oriya theatre, Utkal Sankskrutika Samaj felicitated him recently.
An accomplished playwright and director, Sahu’s innings with theatre began during his school days when he took part in theatre activity. Conducive ambiance at Brahmpur further whetted his enthusiasm for theatre, enabling him to make his mark as an artiste of substance in the university. He carried his passion for Oriya theatre to Bokaro where he joined the steel plant as an electrical engineer. This opened a window for him to interact and grasp the dimensions of diverse vernacular theatres. He grasped the nitty-gritty of professional theatre performances and soon competed at multi-lingual theatre competitions at national level. His eye for detail and realistic presentation made it possible to win coveted trophies at competitions that he chose to participate making the presence of Oriya plays felt.
He moved to Visakhapatnam in 1987 and now works as a deputy general manager (projects) in Visakhapatnam steel plant. Ever since , he began to take part in Oriya theatre performances. He has penned and staged 58 plays so far. Laced with piquant dialogues and situational humour, his plots explore the vast canvas of human nature in diverse situations in life. His plays Swargadwar (Gateway to Heaven), Tini Tunda (Truth of lies) Antardah (Burning within) Alok (Light) Ame Harijaichhu (We are defeated), Bhinna Ilaka (Different Territory) and others won him Best Director awards in several competitions.
His play Sebam ( Corpse ) was translated in Telugu, Tamil and Bengali and was made into a tele-film as well. Though he forayed into small screen through this tele-film and a 13-episode serial aired on Doordarshan, it did not distract him from theatre. Also, he got closely associated with renowned Oriya film director A.K. Bir in the production a feature film Hamari Beti . It is no different in its influence on him. Cinema and TV, he said, took a toll on theatre activity in Odisha as anywhere else in our country. However, more than cinema or TV, it was the advent of jatara that dealt a body blow to Oriya theatre, he observed. Now, disenchantment began to set in about jatara because of its unwholesome aspects and people are slowly but surely harking back to theatre. Sahu hopes this augurs well for Oriya theatre.
