18 March,2011 07:05 AM IST | | Aditi Sharma
Trouble brews between Gujarat and Mumbai theatre groups, as literati is miffed that officials in Gujarat chose Mumbai-based director for government-funded festival
It was meant to be a festival that celebrated Gujarati theatre and culture. Instead, the annual Jaishankar Sundari Natya Mahotsav has become cause for quite a controversy among the Gujarati theatrewallahs.
A still from Manoj Shah's Master Phoolmani that was to be part of the festival
Owing to protests by Ahmedabad-based poets, playwrights, theatre producers and other members of the literati, the Gujarat government was forced to withdraw support for plays by Mumbai-based theatre director Manoj Shah.
Shah was to perform five of his plays, including critically acclaimed ones like Master Phoolmani and Mareez, at the government-funded festival from March 21 to 25.
However, a section of the Gujarati theatre fraternity based out of Ahmedabad voiced their discontent, claiming it was not appropriate that just one director's plays be in focus at a festival that was meant to showcase the culture and tradition of the state.
"How can the government isolate only one person to be showcased at a festival like this? Is there no other director or producer in Ahmedabad who can be included too?" questioned playwright-poet Chinu Modi.
While voicing their discontent, the Ahmedabad-based theatrewallas said that they had nothing against a particular person or theatre group but their grouse was against the government not recognising local talent.
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"If the Gujarat government is going to work for artists from outside the state then why should we stay in Gujarat," Modi stated. Theatre director Nimesh Desai added, "I've been working for 35 years but I've never been invited by Maharashtra Sangeet Natak Akademi to perform a even a single play.
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The mud slinging continues with Mumbai and Ahmedabad-based theatre persons slamming each other. "The standard and quality of work these people put up cannot be compared to Mumbai groups.
Normally, it's the Mumbai groups that work at the box office too," said one theatrewallah on the condition of anonymity.
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An obviously offended Desai countered, "This is absolutely high brow attitude. If we are such amateurs, then how is it that more Gujarati plays from Gujarat are invited to perform at the National School of Drama Festival than from Mumbai?"
Eventually, the festival has been reduced to a one-day affair with Mumbai-based group Khelaiya's Welcome Zindagi, which will be performed on March 27.
As for Shah, he has decided to go ahead with his shows in Ahmedabad on the same date and at the same venue despite losing the financial support.
