A fallout of Freedom

An awareness of national identity inspired the founders of INT to express their newly-realised cultural aspirations through theatre. INT’s first attempt was a Kavi Sammelan (May 5, 1944) in five languages Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati and English followed by the stage productions. Today, when INT celebrates its golden jubilee, it has 450 productions to its credit.But while the birth of the INT was in 1944, it was baptised in 1947 the year of Indian Independence. Its artists held their first performance before the delegates of the Asian Relations Conference. Pandit Nehru insisted that India be the focus of the performance. "Nehru’s Discovery of India lent itself well to the concept. We then presented a ballet by the same name," says Jhaveri.

Indian history, right from the Anaryas and Aryas to India’s Independence, was depicted in the ballet. "The audience was overwhelmed by the performance and Nehru’s words: `The ballet is better than my book’, boosted our confidence," says he. After Discovery of India there was no looking back.

Discovery.. was followed by other ballets. Of them, Dekh Teri Bambai, performed at the World Theatre Festival in Paris in 1959, won accolades. However, despite popular success, INT realised that productions in all five languages could not be sustained. Marathi and Gujarati theatre had already begun outshining other productions so the emphasis was shifted. Plays by known Marathi and Gujarati literateurs were staged: Batatyachi Chaal, Vikata Vat Vahivat, Ti Phularani in Marathi and Santu Rangili, Saptapadi in Gujarati, to name a few.

But INT was not content to be a mere production house churning out commercial successes. A seminar on Indian Theatre in the University of Chandigarh in 1977, crystallised this feeling. "The revival of Indian theatre would not be possible without the research and revival of the element of drama in the folk arts of India and its fusion with contemporary stage," says Ashok Paranjpe, famous Marathi lyricist, dramatist and senior member of the INT.

In 1978, INT’s Research Centre for Performing Arts was established to revive the folk and vanvasi performing art forms of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The primary research revealed mindboggling facts: Maharashtra has 54 folk art forms and Gujarat has 27. It was under the aegis of this new organisation that productions like Khandobache Lagin based on the vaghya-murali tradition, starring Rohini Hattangadi and some folk artists were staged. It was here that Paranjpe fused kirtan, a purely classical religious form, with tamasha which is a folk art. Most of the present generation of leading actors and directors also cut their milk teeth here: Sai Paranpje, Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Atmaram Bhende, to name a few. Currently, INT is conducting a research on Sagar Sanskriti folk art along the coastal regions.The mobile spirit of folk theatre and INT also helped Marathi and Gujarati theatre to move out from box theatre to the platform of folk art. Paranjpe points out that Marathi theatre was confined to popular musicals but grew to show that this form of drama can also be used to discuss social issues. And the reason that Marathi and Gujarati theatre thrive is simple. "Marathi and Bengali theatre continue to be taken over by young theatre enthusiasts after the older generations get exhausted. Therefore these are very original, Indian and alive. This did not, unfortunately, happen to theatres of the other languages," says Jhaveri.

But they are doing their bit to keep theatre alive. Most Marathi plays develop from the entries to INT’s annual inter-college Marathi one-act play competition, which is celebrating its silver jubilee. It is trying to spread its reach into other states as well. "We are in touch with the folk artists of Rajasthan and Goa. But it’ll take time and work to make any difference there," says Paranjpe.

While the list of firsts continue, the INT has no time to rest on its laurels. The translations, documentations et al carry on with the same fervour that led a small band of men to spearhead the theatre movement in India.