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When the brush gets into the act

Painter Bulbul Sharma and theatre director Feisal Alkazi on EMIs in art and duplication in drama!

UNSHAKEABLE Bulbul Sharma and Feisal Alkazi enjoying a chat PHOTO: ALKA RAGHUVANSHI

She embodies her name - sweet and mild mannered, she is the perennial favourite of everyone who comes in contact with her. Painting with, writing for and working with children is a major preoccupation of hers. She paints with children of special needs for therapeutic reasons as well.

For him too, children from all economic strata are a special interest area. He brings joy into their lives with his theatre practices and tries to inculcate values among street children and sensitivity towards the environment in a `playful' manner.

Alka Raghuvanshi brings together painter Bulbul Sharma and theatre director Feisal Alkazi, who do this more as part of their own commitment towards the community, without carrying placards proclaiming their social loyalties.

Bulbul: I was working with some school children a few days ago and most shockingly, the parents wanted to know when their children could hold exhibitions - and these kids were four-year-olds! With fewer children these days, parents are so obsessive about pushing them to excel and make them feel inadequate if they don't. Parents are to blame when children have breakdowns.

Feisal: Parents are not interested in the process, only in the product. Everything is instant - forget Bharatanatyam and arangetram, it is Shiamak Dawar type of classes these days. One day it is yoga, the next day horse riding, the third day it is something else! A lot of kids are being pushed into golf and computers, which are such lonely interest areas. I think we are doing a lot of disservice by not giving credence to alternative careers in the arts. The worst is when children complain of getting bored - whoever heard of it when we were children?

Bulbul: Parents are so busy that they have no time to initiate the children into habits like reading and the outdoors. Art even in schools is an annual day activity. We had so much to do - read, play outdoors. By 18, I had even acted in a film by Mrinal Sen.

Feisal: You mean you were a leading lady, reigning queen type?

Bulbul: Sorry to disappoint you, but even at 18 I wasn't a sex symbol!

Feisal: I say, with all the hype around art, things seem to have changed for the better?

Bulbul: Yes the scenario has improved but still there are so many have-garage-will-open-gallery types. But usually it is an open-and-shut case! There can only be one or two M.F. Husains. There are others who can get very frustrated. How about theatre?

Feisal: Theatre as an activity has dipped. The major problem is lack of scripts. No new writing is happening. The worst is when directors think that they can just improvise scripts. But that can't be the case all the time. Audiences are fed up of the same plays being performed over and over again. How many times can one see "Waiting for Godot" - never mind if it is yet another `fresh interpretation'! New directors are not emerging. Then the actors are being taught to act only with their faces - just enough to fit a television screen! The body just doesn't seem to come into play - literally!

Bulbul: Visibility is a factor but then I think it has also to do with making a choice not to get swayed. So many senior artistes even today have not allowed the glitter and glamour to affect either their work or lifestyle. Then I get a lot of flak from the arts community for being a social worker! Today lives are blurring between the arts and artistes. PR agencies, rivalries, divas, young, old - Delhi and Mumbai are churning out these people whose work lacks substance, but they manage to stay in the news.

Feisal: Sure! It is just hype at the cost of content. Who are these `stars'? I am constantly training people and find that few are serious about what they want to do. For instance, I am often approached by people who want me to perform outside, but I tell them I belong to Delhi and I am happy to do my 15-16 shows here, for there is a context within which I am working.

Bulbul: The thing is that if you are constantly reaching out for the golden apple it can be very frustrating. You know there are people who buy paintings on EMI!

Feisal: We did a hilarious play on such people who are constantly wanting to get on to the bandwagon of improving their lifestyle that they become slaves to the these EMIs and stop living and work only to pay EMIs!

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