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Theatre activist and filmmaker Jabbar Patel shares his views on improving quality of theatre
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DIRECTOR'S CUT Jabbar Patel makes a point Photo: S. Mahinsha
Born in a middle class railway family, Jabbar Patel spent his early years at Sholapur. At age nine he was by chance chosen to do a small part in a Rana Pawar's play, "I had my dialogues cut out and pasted in a note book. On the day of the play when the make up was being applied I felt like a different person. I can still remember the sweet fragrance of the make up and the warmth of the flood lights that were used in those days. After my performance when I heard the thunderous applause I was over whelmed - and the experience left a lasting impression. That was the first instance that gave me a clue of what theatre was about," recollected Patel.
To improve the family's economic status he choose to do medicine and practiced as a Paediatrician near Pune. After his practice he would go for rehearsals, an addiction he says that's common to theatre people who simply have to meet each evening. Finally he gave up theatre for film direction and documentaries acknowledging that the stage has limitations and a lot more could be done on the big screen.
In response to local opinion that regional theatre has few takers and English theatre receiving more media attention here in Hyderabad, he responded with ideas that have worked in Maharashtra. Explaining that theatre can be commercial, experimental or amateur with experimental theatre lending itself to innovation and a mix of the old and new. He admitted that there is a tendency to use theatre as a stepping stone to the small screen and eventually to the big screen especially in Mumbai. However, the Annual State Competitions churn out at least three to 400 productions with almost 100 new ones each year. He stressed the need for the Government to step in to keep the Sangeeth Natak `parampara' alive with some amount of assured funding and grooming at the school level to develop an interest for the arts in children.
Finally he urged youngsters to come out with what they have to say for he expressed that "it's only youth that has powerful thought, age brings a lot of caution in everything one does. And for good theatre to emerge, young thinking is required, the secret being a strong writer. Personally until `the play' comes along, I have no plans of going back to theatre."
Few days ago Jabbar Patel was awarded the "Seva Gaurav Puraskar" for his Marathi feature film Baba Saheb Ambedkar. He was invited by the Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya for a talk on `Men and Books' and took the opportunity to interact with local theatre groups earlier in the day.
PADMINI B. PATELL
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