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Journalism of Courage
Who is he?
A theatre actor-director from Delhi, who now has his own production house in Mumbai called The Company Theatre.
What is his work like?
Atul has spent most part of the last 16 years acting and directing plays from the Theatre of the Absurd. quot;It happened by default, since my first play belonged to this genre. As most playwrights from this movement were French, I studied the language, read all scripts in the originaland even translated a few into Hindi.quot;
Examples, please.
He translated and directed The Chairs in Hindi as Kursiyan. He8217;s also done Moliere8217;s Gentleman Inspite of Himself, Flying Doctor, Signarelle and Tartuffe, Jean Genet8217;s Deathwatch, Pirandello8217;s Six Characters in Search of An Author and Sartre8217;s Flies. quot;As an actor and director, this form of theatre gives me space to use my imagination 8212; in both form and content. Realistic plays can be restrictive.quot; Yet, he wants to try something else, perhaps Shakespeare.
What is he doing now?
Acting in Rajat Kapoor8217;s production C8217; For Clowns 8212; quot;the best example of what I learnt from Philippequot;. It8217;s about a day in the life of a circus through the eyes of five clowns. quot;We 8212; my co-actors and Rajat 8212; have written it ourselves and it hinges on improvisation.quot; Soon, he hopes to revive The Chairs, a double-bill along with Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak-Shah8217;s TheLesson.
His work on television and a couple of film assignments 8212; Govind Nihalani8217;s Takshak and Sanjay Bhansali8217;s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 8212; keep the home fires burning and leave him enough time to pursue his first love.
His guru?
quot;More than one 8212; Rajat, Philippe and my teachers in Kerala.quot;
His grouse?
quot;None. Earlier, it was the fact that there is no money in theatre. But I went abroad and found it8217;s the same story all over. That8217;s probably how civilisation has developed on the cultural front.quot;
8212; Deepa Deosthalee
