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`There's no fun recreating reality'
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Girish Karnad on his "A Heap of Broken Images", the play which kicks off The MetroPlus Theatre Festival on August 5
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NO RISK, NO EXCITEMENT Girish Karnad
In Girish Karnad's new play "A Heap of Broken Images", an unsuccessful Kannada writer wins sudden international acclaim for an English novel. She finishes a television interview, but her image refuses to leave the screen. The dialogue between image and woman touches upon many issues — the status of English versus Indian languages, technology-driven existence, gender issues, the self and the image, delusion and reality. Both Kannada and English versions of the play have been packing the hall with young people in Ranga Shankara, Bangalore.
The first show outside his home city will be at the Music Academy on August 5 (two shows, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.). "It is so prestigious to be asked to perform for The MetroPlus Theatre Festival that I'm going to be in Chennai to personally ensure things go well," says the playwright-director.
Did Girish Karnad abandon his favourite haunts of myth (Yayati, Fire and Rain), folktale (Hayavadana, Nagamandala) and history (Tughlaq, The Dreams of Tipu Sultan) to create a contemporary myth in "A Heap of Broken Images"?
"There's no fun in recreating reality. It never interested me probably because there was no electricity in my house until I was fourteen, no entertainment except story telling, and so much scope for fantasy," says Karnad. "I had a safe family background, didn't know the kind of hell shown so brilliantly by (Vijay) Tendulkar. But yes, electronics creates its own mythology, the possibilities are endless."
Human interest
Is "A Heap of Broken Images" somewhat autobiographical? "English versus Kannada is a big issue in Karnataka, and I've been told my Kannada is not good enough," he admits. "But a play cannot be about a topical debate, it has to have human interest."
After a talk by novelist Shashi Deshpande about the flak she got for writing in English, and a caste system where Indian writers living abroad are feted, while those living in India are ignored, Karnad informed her, "I'm going to pinch this argument." He shaped his woman who writes an English bestseller, starts playing the international celebrity and attacks U. R. Anantha Murthy without mentioning his name. In the process, the image that looms over the stage goes beyond the visual, it brings a philosophy with it.
Why a woman protagonist? "Because Shashi Deshpande is a woman," Karnad laughs, adding, "When a man becomes successful, he goes partying. A woman continues to have the responsibility of running the house. What happens to her relationship with her sister? Husband?"
The geography of Bangalore frames dramatic points — Jayanagar means middle-class marriage, Koramangala spells wealth.
The theme of the image dominating real life acquires an unexpected dimension.
"As the image talks, its eyes follow the woman around the stage. The actor's movements, pauses, timing, cuing, everything had to be choreographed to match those eyes perfectly. No improvisation. Imagine how this tests the actor, especially as there is no predicting where the audience will laugh and throw her out of sync in the timing."
Girish Karnad has thoroughly enjoyed his foray into a new theme. Was he apprehensive about the possibility of failure? "No risk, no excitement," he smiles. "What makes theatre attractive is the possibility that things can go wrong."
GOWRI RAMNARAYAN
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Metro Plus
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