The announcement that the Tamasha group of musicians is paying tribute at Indian Habitat Centre to the near-legendary theatre artiste Shiela Bhatia on her birth centenary brought to mind cherished memories. The founder of the Delhi Art Theatre was noted for her operas and musicals, besides of course coaching some of the best actors in Bollywood and a host of others at the National School of Drama (NSD). Shiela, to whom the actress Rohini Hattangadi bore a close resemblance, stayed in Nizamuddin East with her life-long companion Hali Vats. Like the Literary Circle formed by Johnson, Reynolds, Burke, Goldsmith and Garrick, her drawing room presented a 20th Century ambience of the Augustan Age of Queen Anne’s reign. Literatures, theatre artistes, journalists, poets and playwrights gathered there almost every evening for wide-ranging discussions, some enjoying their sundowner in the process.
Hali Vats was named after Altaf Hussain Hali. That doyen of Urdu, whose grandson, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas gave Amitabh Bachchan his first break in films with Saat Hindustani was about 20 years old when the First War of Independence of 1857 broke out. A few months before it, revealed Vats, he met Mirza Ghalib through the help of the poet’s servant Kallu. One thing (among many) that Hali found amazing about Ghalib was that he had very large ears, the proverbial sign of longevity, though he died a year short of 70. Shiela Bhatia who had staged the first plays on Ghalib, made her own comments to bring out the greatness of Mirza Nausha.
According to Saeed Naqvi, the noted media commentator, a regular at the Nizamuddin house, three plays written by his late maternal uncle, Syed Mohammad Mehdi (“Ghalib-ki-Lathi”, “Ghalib-ka-Ghar” and “Jam-e-Ghazal”) directed by Shiela were successfully staged. Among these “Jam-e-Ghazal”, for which Begum Akhtar sang, was the most applauded. However, at the evening meetings at the Neshistgah (a virtual Greek-pattern Lyceum), Shiela Bhatia spoke little. Most of the talking was done by Hali, whose brother, Bhagat Ram Vats, had made a name in journalism, being a favourite of Indira Gandhi, whom he usually accompanied on her foreign trips as senior representative of the Press Trust of India. Earlier as “Bhagtu” (his abbreviated name) he earned fame as the leading player of an ace Delhi football club. To shouts of “Bhagtu, Bhagtu” he would dart with the ball and, more often than not, score a goal. After the match the team members would head to Hare Bhare-ka-mazar, below the steps of the Jama Masjid, where they quenched their thirst from the cool water of the 17th Century well in an age when soft drinks had not yet invaded the market. It was from this well, incidentally, that the bhistis filled up their mashaks (waterskins) and stood in Chowk Jama Masjid, dangling copper cups (katoras) to coax passers-by to have a drink of water, thereby earning the nicknames, “jhun jhun-katora wallahs”.
Escorting singer
It was Shiela Bhatia who persuaded Hali and Bhagtu to escort a teenaged Shanno Khurana, who later became a well-known classical singer, to the red light area as she wanted to imbibe the traditional nuances of the dancing girls, enthralling customers with their enchanting voices. In those days, it was inconceivable for a respectable woman to visit the kotha so Hali and Bhagtu disguised her as a boy and nobody recognised the budding artiste. She was to describe it in later years as a wonderful experience. Shiela Bhatia and Hali had a very good collection of books, mostly on history, art and culture. On their basis Hali developed a great love for the Mughals, particularly Babar. Once during the evening session someone blurted out that as a youth Babar was fond of boys, particularly of one with a ruddy face on seeing whom he could not control himself, and brimming with excitement would lead him to his private chamber.
Afterwards when Babar gained maturity his attention shifted to women, many of whom became inmates of his harem. But when he met the boy on the streets of his native Fargana, he would get nervous and try to avoid him lest his name was tarnished. Hearing this Hali lost his temper, “Accusing Babar of homosexuality, you shameless chap”, he shouted and nearly threw out the youngster but for the intervention of Shiela.
It was on her initiative that Hali started bringing out a colour magazine, “SEE”, which slowly gained quite a reputation though it was priced at ₹5 (a big amount for a publication in the 1960s when books were available for much less). It was for “SEE” that the couple commissioned an article on the G.B. Road mujra. Among those invited to contribute were the Shia playwright Niaz Haider, Naqvi, Shankar and this scribe, along with a photographer. The mujra session was a huge success (and so was the article) but when the team was coming out it was accosted by a trio of burly, bearded and turbaned truck drivers who tried to pick up a fight. However, Chacha Niaz Haider, with the aid of the pimps, succeeded in calming them down. When Shiela and Hali heard about it they were apprehensive about possible repercussions but thankfully an ugly situation had been averted.
Long after Shiela died first and then a lonely Hali as they had no children. Now NSD has brought out a commemoration volume on Shiela Bhatia and her contribution to Delhi theatre, stirring up reminiscences of a memorable personality and her companion, whose name reminded one of Altaf Hussain Hali (1837-1914) over a hundred years after the poet’s death.
