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Of theatre, cinema and marketing

The famed mother and daughter duo of Lilette Dubey and Ira Dubey talk about their theatre life and experiences

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K

ACTING IS IN THEIR BLOOD Actor Lilette Dubey with her daughter Ira Dubey

She's got over 30 years of hands-on theatre to her acclaim, and believes she's an accidental film actress. Her daughter is majoring in theatre at Yale and started acting in films when she was barely four. Mother and daughter together can give wannabe models a run for their physique, looks and attitude. Lilette Dubey and daughter Ira Dubey sometimes sound like a mutual admiration society. But once they get talking you realise that here's a mom and daughter pair that truly recognise each other's talent. During a Take Two over crunchy salad , Lilette and Ira talk about growing up in theatre. They speak vivaciously of how they are currently touring Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai with their production "Sammy". Bhumika. K. listens in.

("Sammy" is a contemporary take on how Mohandas Karamchand became Gandhi. For the first time, Lilette's entire family is together for the play. Her husband Ravi Dubey and older daughter Neha are acting. Younger daughter Ira and Lilette herself don the director's hat!)

Lilette: You have worked with me before as an actress, not as a director though. (Ira has been acting since she was four in "Jungle Book".)

Ira: My sister and I have been exposed to theatre since we could barely walk. Theatre's definitely in my blood, but enhanced by the fact that I've grown up around it. In childhood everyone would laugh at me saying `Ira is mummy's chamchi!' From the time you started Prime Time (Lilette's theatre company) I have been at every play, every rehearsal.

Lilette: I was told by people that I used child labour because I used to bring them to the plays!

Ira: We used to be ushers...

Lilette: You used to look goody and important, run around and check if the tickets were done. But you started really young. A year and two months!

(Fondly reminiscing) I saw my kids grow up in theatre. You can't run away from it. My husband is an actor whom I met when we were in the same group — Tag in Delhi. Exposure is a big thing — you breathe, think, eat theatre. For the kids it was like osmosis.

Ira: Mom is talented. I aspire to be the best I can. That's what my parents have taught me. "Sammy" has a lot to say about that. The Gandhian philosophy that you do something without the thought of a reward...

Lilette: Which is from the Gita.

Ira: Ya... but my nature is a lot like mom. I like to give my 110 per cent. When I went to Yale I discovered facets of theatre I didn't know about earlier — the theoretical aspect, for example. Certain things I learnt there, I could put into practice here in "Sammy".

Lilette: Actually, you've brought a lot to this play... like infusing new blood. I never trained in theatre; and I see the difference. I come from a family of doctors, lawyers and engineers. I was an aberration doing Arts. They would look down on me and say `Oh my God, you can read Shakespeare at home. Why do you have to waste time studying literature in college?' But when my father realised my passion for theatre he said why don't you go to NSD? But I was practical and said `I can't live by theatre'. But for people like you (Neha and Ira) theatre's a viable career choice. If you know how to market your work...

Ira: Ya, it's a business...

Lilette: You won't make a lot of money, it's not like films. But if you don't have luxurious requirements, you can survive.

Ira: At Yale I realised that my classmates had big plans, either to study further or work with repertories or companies in New York. But in my heart of hearts, I always wanted to come back to India.

Lilette: You know you're a wonderful actress and that's what you love.

Ira: Ya... that's what I love. Acting. But I want to do my own thing also.

Lilette: I discovered to my happy surprise that Ira is a good director too. When you went to Yale, I remember Dad asking you to do economics!

Ira: Ya! People ask me `Wow, you're at Yale. What are you majoring in?' I'm like `Theatre' and they're like `Oh!' (both laugh)

Lilette: But what's nice today, is that you can multitask. You don't have to restrict yourself to one medium — you can do television and film.

Ira: Yes, but theatre and cinema are two different mediums. Cinema is a director's medium. In films, actors are just puppets. But in a play, it's the actor's night when the play opens.

Lilette: I've directed Ravi in "Sammy" after a long time. He stopped acting 25 years ago when he joined the corporate world. This is my 21st play! Some people feel I can be tough as a director which is fine. But I really had to treat him with kid gloves because here was an old actor who'd been on stage before but was my husband first. So he demanded respect!

Ira: I have to say this. Neha and I will stand by this, that you have a tendency to be tough on us. We feel bad about it, resent it, and argue about it with you later. But I know you're doing it to get the best out of us.

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