A Stage of her Own

To see people waiting in the alleys and somehow squeezing in to watch Broken

Images (staged on Monday evening) “was gratifying and overwhelming,” says Azmi,who had the audience rapt as she enacted two facets of the same character. “The minute I had finished reading the script,I knew it was dramatic and challenging. It is a technical nightmare; I have to react to my own televised image on the screen and there were no other actors to take cues from. The image is a single 45-minute shot,so the timing is crucial with no room for mistake,” she says. “Coordination and timing were vital. I had to remain focused,and I managed without a retake and any tension,” she adds.

Azmi did the rehearsals in her own house with her sister-in-law Tanvi Azmi playing the sister for the former to better understand the movements behind the camera. The play unravels into a thriller,keeping the audience guessing about the villain and the victim. “It is often difficult to spot the person behind the mask. When the play began I thought the dead sister was the nice person,but at other times,I found Manjula was vulnerable and Malini the tough one. Even now I am not sure,” Azmi says. Theatre must entertain,she agrees,but its scope must not be confined to that aspect. In order for change to occur,“you have to be meaningful and raise the bar,” she adds. These,however,are good times for both cinema and theatre actors,with a lot of experimentation and challenges available for actors willing to try something new. “The challenge must come through the writing,” she adds.

Agrees Nadira Babbar,writer-director of Sakubai (staged on Tuesday evening). Babbar draws on those women who are a vital part of our daily lives like bais,ayah,khansamin or nanny. Sakubai is the story of many such women,who tackle the most trying circumstances with strength and endurance. “We just can’t do without them. We realize their worth when they are not with us,” she says. So what inspired Babbar to take up the topic? “I am the daughter of a Marxist and have always been sensitive to class and caste differences,growing up in an environment where we were told to question injustice and made sensitive to the needs of others,” she says. Her upcoming play,to be staged in Mumbai,incorporates four monologues on women.

For Sarita Joshi,who plays Sakubai,the play was a valuable emotional experience. “It’s a powerful role and I am glad that my director chose me. To do it in Hindi is a privilege,” she says. Theatre is her lifeline,she adds. “I enjoy cinema too,but the method of acting is different. There’s a certain strength and energy you need for theatre,” she signs off.