It is an amalgamation of five elements of the universe – earth, fire, wind, water and space in Alok Ulfat’s ‘Inside Out’ workshops. The ace theatre personality is in Hyderabad engaging young minds with ideas and helping them to look within and start a conversation. Dressed in a white shirt and trousers, Alok is in a cheerful mood at Lamakaan talking to youngsters and meeting an old friend.
Positive environmentLooking back at his 40-plus years of theatre, he says, “Ever since I was born there has been theatre. And, it is not just theatre, as there’s a whole culture to it. There’s art, theatre, environment, spirituality but not religion so much.” Born in a family of thinkers, Alok credits his parents for creating a positive environment. His parents started an initiative ‘Nanhi Dunya’, the international movement for children. “They said, ‘The constitutional freedom is not real freedom. The real freedom is the understanding of soul and spirit; out of this awareness, you will be able to relate to environment and the universe and then make decisions accordingly which are harmonious,’” he states and continues, “We were not rich in terms of money so there was less on table and more in hearts. There would be less food on our breakfast table and more talks of Rabindranath Tagore, Jiddu Krishnamurthy, Aurobindo, Premchand, Kabir and Shakespeare. We would talk about artistes, musicians and writers.”
As a youngster, Alok found himself drawn towards social issues. “I became an angry person and would be part of groups discussing serious social issues,” he points out. Education took him to London and changed his perspective. “I had a degree in English literature. Then I studied acting and then I realised I did not want to be just an actor,” he says. Alok says his education on ‘activism’ continued along the same side. “I studied activism not by academics but through people. I travelled across India to Shantiniketan, Aurobindo Ashram and Dindigal to understand activism,” he observes.
Talking about his different workshops, he points out, “It is a performing arts workshop where one is able to listen to oneself and experience. Today, young people are constantly told through advertising media that they are not good enough. What I am trying to tell is that you are good the way you are. Believe in yourself.”
This is Alok’s second workshop in Hyderabad. “The first one saw an international gathering. This workshop is exciting as it is for the local people and we are staying at actor Brahmaji’s house. In the workshop, one experiences self, becomes aware and balanced. Once they understand, they go into an inner experience,” he says.
Besides being associated with the selection process in FTII, Pune, Alok was an ‘act director’ for Star Plus. His wife Shruti is part of two serials Maha Kumbh and Jamai Raja andone of his popular students is Anand Gandhi, director of award-winning movie Ship of Theseus. His workshops are in association with Recyclewala Labs. “We have started one centre in Dehradun and hope to open more centres in 15 cities,” says Alok about his dream.
