Madavane’s 1947 - The Man from Lahore tells the story of Ranjit’s quest for his roots and his wife Kaveri’s efforts to come to terms with his obsession. The play, which is on the shortlist of this year’s The Hindu Playwright Award, centres around Ranjit’s efforts to put together a coffee table book of photos of the Partition while trying to find out about his grandfather, The Man from Lahore. The Delhi-based Madavane has directed over 50 plays in English, French and Hindi and written acclaimed plays such as The Mahabharata for Women and The Falsity of Gods . The 70-year-old describes history as a record of events open to interpretation.
Excerpts from an interview.
What is the significance of Ranjit being Punjabi and Kaveri being from the South?
I came to Delhi in 1967 and encountered several families who were displaced during Partition. For a South Indian, Partition is a historical event studied in textbooks. It is a distanced event. But in Delhi for instance, every other family has a story to narrate. I wanted to understand the trauma of this event, and the only way to do that, was through writing. The writing was triggered, among others things, by photographs of Partition. The one image we all retain in our collective memory is that of refugees on top of the train.
History's biggest migration. Train loaded to capacity. India - Pakistan partition. (September 1947)
I identify with Kaveri, who is from the South and therefore her understanding of Partition can only be intellectual/rational. Ranjit’s response is emotional. By making them come from different parts of the country, I attempted to show our diverse responses to this event. Dramatically it works, as the conflict arises from here.
Why are Nehru and Jinnah puppets?
It is practically impossible to identify with Nehru or Jinnah on stage. We have so many documentaries and photographs on them that is very difficult for an actor to be convincing on stage while playing them. On stage we choose one of the two techniques i.e. identification or distance. In this case, I thought it would be more relevant to depict them as puppets both theatrically and ideologically. The hyper reality can be very well achieved through puppets, as the audience can distance itself from the characters and judge them. At the same time, we know that all historical personalities are in a way, puppets, in the hands of destiny.
Is Nehru the villain of the piece?
No. There is no villain in the play. Nehru sincerely thought that he was doing good for the country. As he says in the play, “Can we retain someone who is hell-bent upon leaving us? You really think I accept the Partition with joy? No, no, it pains me…”.
What themes does the play tackle?
The play is about history and its interpretations. It is certainly about identity and the importance of roots. Ranjit’s vain quest and his obsession till the end is about his identity and his roots. He cannot continue to live as a normal human being once he believes in his encounter with the Man from Lahore. It is his nemesis.
Is this a difficult play to stage?
I am a theatre director who ventured into writing about 20 years ago. When I write a play, I see the play enacted in my mind. The main difficulty in directing the play it is to find the right cast. Once the casting is done, half the battle is won. From that perspective it is difficult play because it relies heavily on three actors who will play Ranjit, Kaveri and the Grandfather. The set is relatively simple.
Would you like to direct this play or would you prefer another director?
Being a theater director myself, I prefer to be the first to direct this play. After that, the play has its own future.
This is the second of three interviews with the playwrights shortlisted for the award. Watch this space tomorrow for more.
