Playing it big

Aamir Raza Husain and Virat Husain talk about their play “Mehernama”, and the concept of theatre they share.

Virat Husain and Amir Raza Husain

If it’s an Aamir Raza Husain play, chances are, it’s going to go big. Known for his spectacular productions, Husain and his co-director, co-actor and wife, Virat Husain, come together to bring on stage the story of one of the most enigmatic and influential female figures in Indian history, Noor Jahan. Titled ‘Mehernama’, the play has travelled across the country, and is due to be performed in Delhi this weekend.

Excerpts from an interview:

A little about choosing to tell Noor Jahan’s story, and the process of its conceptualisation?

Aamir Husain There is no one process frankly, through which one comes up with an idea. It’s just that you go explore things, talk to people in your group. I discussed this with my wife, who co-directs with me. It’s just something that evolves. It’s a very tough journey to arrive at a subject because it’s not like you are choosing an already written play. When you are writing it, you have to see if there is there are elements that the public will like. Just about last year, this time, when I began writing the play, for the first two weeks I wrote a play called The Courtesan but after two scenes, I stopped. I realised that I couldn’t do a play on a courtesan without some sort of a dance in the play. And because I travel throughout the country carrying dancers can be, apart from anything else, expensive. I realised that it would not work. So then, my wife suggested Noor Jahan’s name.

Writing a historical play involves a weaving in of fiction and fact. How much creative license do you allow for in your work?

Aamir Husain Of course the dialogues are fictional. Situations aren’t. So it’s based on either history or legend. I’ve only worked on Indian history, or Indian mythology, in the case of The Legend of Ram. I’m a student of history, with honours in St. Stephens. And when I work, I research and I look at gossip. Often the gossip, which is actually legend, has some fact somewhere. I’m working on another play on Akbar. I have read five books, and discovered something I had never heard of before, how there is a possibility that Akbar died of poisoning.

And why Noor Jahan’s?

Virat Husain Her history is so rich. While Noor Jahan didn’t directly rule the country, she did rule it indirectly, and greatly influenced its history.

Aamir Husain Only two women have ruled the country directly- Razia Sultana and Indira Gandhi, and two women have had their faces stamped on coins, Indira Gandhi and Noor Jahan.

Would you say that the story holds relevance today?

Aamir Husain I would not work on anything that is relevant to a situation today. My theatre is not the theatre of anything which is trying to give a message. If there is a message, it is the by product of the play, it isn’t the be all and end all of the play. When my wife and I work, we have one thing in mind, the play has to be exciting and entertaining to the audience. We have different aspects which we manage, and we direct together. But nowhere in our thought process, is the idea of bringing a play relevant to modern times. Whatever it is that we do, nowhere does today’s relevance play a part. A good story is what we focus on. She (Virat Husain) did an eight part documentary on the Kargil war. And after I saw it, I said that we must do a play, which we did, not even a year after the war. But we didn’t do it to give a message. We did it to tell a good story that needed to be told.

And the process of directing togther.

Aamir Husain There is no conflict. I think that’s because we both have the same concept of theatre, which is that everything is geared towards telling a story well. There is one canvas, which we as directors paint. And each character fits into that canvas, including our characters,

Virat Husain And beautifully. Both of us really believe in the story being visually appealing. We don’t feel like it is complete till you have made the image beautiful. Any We also want to be very clear about the character that we want to portray. If that is honest, then the play will work. We are very specific from what we want from the actors, and that includes us. We tweak it a little here and there as we direct, but that’s part of the process. Fortunately, when we are reading the script, we have one very clear idea, an instinct about how to tell the story. And it’s this first instinct that always works.

Aamir Husain And since there are two of us, one steps out and watches the other. But even if there was one person directing it, the process would remain the same.

Has it been tough, creating plays on a large scale, with elaborate sets that can be expensive?

Virat Husain I think it’s a question of money as well as commitment and true understanding of theatre. A lot of slipshod elements coming up in theatre are more like excuses for mediocrity and shortcuts. Abstract theatre doesn’t appeal to me at all. It is an excuse to get away from the correct form, or what I call the correct form of theatre.

Aamir Husain Also, when you talk about money, I believe that if you do quality stuff you’ll get the money. If you offer quality you will find sponsors. We have been through a horrible phase where the economy has taken a huge dip, but thankfully, we have managed to continue our work. And I think it’s because of the kind of quality we deliver. Yes you have to make fifty calls and approach numerous people, but if your work is good, you find the people to back you up.

The audience today wants to see a good story, whether on television, theatre or cinema. They want a good script performed well. I do believe you can tell stories even without a grand set, but you need to have a story and also tell it right.

As for experimental theatre, we are also constantly experimenting, in ways no one else has attempted. Once, we moved a 700 strong audience, to a one kilometre stretch.