As her theatre group Ekjute completes 35 years, Nadira Babbar hits a nostalgic note
Nadira Babbar and Juuhi Babbar Sonii in Ekjute's Begum Jaan
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After years of professional theatre in Delhi, why did you start Ekjute in Mumbai?
I've been doing theatre for 48 years. I obtained a Diploma in Direction from National School of Drama, New Delhi under the mentorship of professor Ebrahim Alkazi. (1968–1971). The first 10 years of professional theatre were in Delhi. When I moved to Mumbai, I wanted to start a theatre group. Many of us from National School Of Drama and others who were already in Mumbai before I came here, came together and started the group, Ekjute in 1981.
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What kind of plays did you begin with?
We did classics like Look Back in Anger, View from the Bridge and many British and American plays. We also used the classical Indian style of the 2,500-year-old Natyashastra. I'm well versed in Hindi, so I've stuck to doing plays in Hindi.
Nadira Babbar
What would you say is a turning point for the group in the last 35 years?
The turning point was when I realised I could write my own plays. I wrote Dayashankar Ki Diary first, which was enacted by Ashish Vidyarthi. It is the dramatised memoir of a man who could not live up to his own dreams. Dayashankar is one of the thousands who come to Bombay every day, from the small towns of India, to become a Bollywood star! Dayashankar lives in his own world where fantasies and realities are inseparable. Freud said that 'a man lives as much inside his mind as outside'. It is about what happens to a man who cannot distinguish between the two. The play is a journey through his innocent dreams, his rural sense of humour, his complexes and most importantly, into the fantastic workings of the human mind! Post that I wrote Sakubai, a take on a day in the life of a bai through humour and pathos, gives voice to the unsung efforts of all the bais and many others!
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What has changed in the group in the last three decades?
We have gained more experience and bettered ourselves at our craft. Our control over performances has improved and so have our organisational skills. Many have moved on, while some have returned as well. The focus remains on educating people about theatre and acting and promoting good theatre.
Has the audience changed too?
The audience has increased and is more aware and appreciative. A lot of credit goes to Prithvi Theatre and Shashi Kapoor's family. They could have chosen to build a mall at that property and made money but they chose to promote theatre and performing art, sticking to their family values.
Do you prefer fresh content or adaptation of classics?
Original content. However, we have also enjoyed performing classics by Munshi Premchand and other stalwarts. When we do these plays, we stick to the original text and don't mess
with content that can't be bettered. Modern and social content, and the classics have their own spaces.
What subjects interest you as a playwright?
I've written on several subjects. Most have addressed social issues and some have been women-centric. We don't believe in mindless entertainment.
From September 24 to October 2
At Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.
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Play Writing Workshop AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
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