Theatre as a weapon
DIWAN SINGH BAJELI
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Visiting Nepali theatre director Sunil Pokharel speaks about the power of the medium to reflect the aspirations of the poor and the downtrodden.
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POWER OF THEATRE Sunil Pokharel, theatre director from Nepal, was in New Delhi recently
`Though draconian laws are used to gag the press in Nepal, no restrictions are imposed on the theatrical activities,' says Sunil Pokharel, who was in New Delhi this past week to present his play "Aaruka Phulka Sapna" in Nepali at the Theatre Utsav organised by the National School of Drama. "This does not mean that theatre activists in Nepal are supporters of the repressive regime of King Gyanendra. We believe that theatre is a weapon in the hands of people to fight against injustice, political, social and economic."
Sunil was fascinated by drama even during his school days. As he grew up this fascination developed into a passion and a fulltime vocation in a country where theatre is a neglected art form. Ever since he graduated from NSD in 1987, he has been actively involved in theatrical activities and emerged as an important figure on the theatrical landscape of Nepal. An artiste of many parts, he has not only produced a number of plays for his group Aarohan Theatre, but also runs a fulltime two-year course in dramatic art. Named Gurukul, the school follows the tradition of the guru-shishya paramapara.
"There are 30 students. It is a kind of a commune in which the students, faculty members and staff live, eat and work together. Only married members stay outside the commune."
Is he getting State support to run this school? "There is no State support for theatre in Nepal. We are left to support ourselves. It's really very hard to do theatre full-time. Thanks to our partnership with Norway's National Theatre, we are able to meet our monthly expenses amounting to Rs.1,60,000. There are some NGOs who invite us to conduct workshops, enabling us to earn some money."
According to Sunil, the Maoist insurgency has given a boost to theatrical activities in Kathmandu. In an atmosphere of fear and violence let loose both by the Maoists and the Royal Army, the auditorium provides the intelligentsia a space to talk about politics and social issues. Generally, a play has more than 70 performances in an auditorium with a capacity of 250 seats. The shows are ticketed. The area where the auditorium is located is a stronghold of democratic forces.
In Nepal's feudal society women are the most oppressed lot. Sunil's play, which is based on a poem, is a profoundly feminist theatrical piece.
"Through the image of a 13th Century Nepal princess, who was married to a Tibetan king against her wishes, the production seeks to present the misery of poverty-stricken young Nepali women today who never return to their country after crossing the Bagmati river. The play is based on a poem, and I tried to give a visual dimension to the suffering and utter alienation of Nepali women forced to live in a foreign country. The only language they are capable to communicate with is the language of pain."
Influences
Modern drama and theatre began in Nepal in the 1920s and `30s with the work of Balakrishna Sama who was influenced by the plays of western playwrights, especially by Henrick Ibsen, "The first Nepali play written and directed by Sama was presented in Kathmandu in 1937. Indian playwrights and directors have great influence on Nepali theatre practitioners, but for the last one decade a strong movement has been launched to evolve a distinct Nepali theatre idiom rooted in its centuries old traditions, powerful enough to reflect the democratic aspirations of the Nepali people suffering from poverty and oppressed by state tyranny."
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