The Art of Theatrical Backdrop: FTII hosts talk on role of backdrops, sets in theatre and cinema

Attendees were taken on an informative journey on the role of backdrops and sets in theatre and early cinema along with lively images and technical details of their art. The speaker, who is the grandson of celebrated backdrop painter VV Divkar and a professional historical researcher, had undertaken this study to showcase this lesser known art which has steadily faded away.

On display at the event were sketches, black and white photos and much reference material from Dr Divkar’s private archive, that everyone could go through in person to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the art. This included specimens such as the original sketch of Mehboob Productions logo and a conceptual sketch of the Shiv Shambho set made for V Shantaram.

“We had organised a similar event last year at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, where art historian Pheroza Godrej and Museum Society of Mumbai gave us valuable support. But we were always keen to host a talk here. Pune is an important city in the history of early Indian Cinema and natya parampara. It was fortuitous that we could organise the talk in FTII which was the nucleus of Pune’s erstwhile film industry and is today a premier educational institute for the same,” said the organisers.