Dogri, a language that is spoken chiefly in Jammu and Kashmir, was not recognised as one of the national languages of India until 2003. The revival of Dogri culture through books, cinema and theatre has been an ongoing movement in the state for many years now. Balwant Thakur, an Indian theatre director and scholar, has been at the forefront of these efforts. In 1983, Thakur established the theatre group, Natrang. The group’s weekend show, titled “Sunday Show,”which showcases a different performance every week, has been running unabated since 2004. In 1999, Thakur was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest recognition given to practicing artists in India.
First staged on 5 September 1985, Baba Jitto, a play directed by Thakur, is still running. The play is centered on the legend of a farmer, Baba Jitto, from the village of Aghar in Jammu, who killed himself when he was being forced to submit to the local landlord and give up his crop. It has now emerged as symbol of the values of Dogra culture. In 2013, Thakur was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for his contribution to the field of theatre.
In this interview with Vivek Gopal, an assistant editor at The Caravan, Thakur discussed the history of theatre in Jammu, his approach to play production, and the relationship between theatre and the intellectual development of the nation.
Vivek Gopal: You have often been credited with reviving the tradition of Dogri theatre. Can you tell us about this form and how it locates itself in the culture of Jammu and Kashmir?
Balwant Thakur: Dogri is a very very young language. Looking at other languages, we are no comparison. Our literature is very young, our poetry is so young, our theatre...I give credit to the entire folklore of this place. I often feel that theatre is ultimately a form of performance and the element of spectacle, the element of visuals, of visual language.
The first Dogri play was written in 1935 [“Acchut” by Vishwanath Khajuria] and it took almost 15 years for the second play to come. The speed was such. Later, when Dogri started picking up, people started experimenting with new types, new forms. But till the late 70s, the theatre of Jammu did not have its own identity. We have a history of traditional theatre called Bhagtan. But it was not a useful form. [It] was too harsh and too hysterical and it used to be performed in front of an—what should I say, there is a word that is now very prevalent—intolerant audience. They [the plays] used to attack the feudals, the people in power, so there was a lot of resentment. The subjects were not able to see the mirror which they [the plays] used to show—they. They did not wish to see their face in that mirror.
My seniors who started the Dogri theatre movement in Jammu were inspired by Bhagtan, and Marathi and Hindi plays, which they used to translate and perform. They did not do original plays, but what was being done around the country. I am also a product of a similar kind of work. But this region has its own identity—its own history, its own flavour, its own folklore, a vibrant performing tradition.
VG: How did you infuse the culture and tradition of Jammu into your work?
BT: I was attracted to one of our tales, called “Baba Jitto.” It was a narrative basically. Professor Ram Nath Shastri [a litterateur who played a pivotal role in the revival of Dogra culture] scripted the play and I started creating the performance. I personally feel that theatre should not merely be a a verbal exercise. It should acquire a language and it should speak across it.
It took me almost two years to create this play. I came out with this performance in 1985. From 1985 to now, it has been 31 years, and it is still going strong. It has been performed all over the length and breadth of the country. I discovered another folk tale named Ghumayee. I tried to experiment with not only the content, but the form of the play.
VG: Your plays have been well-received among diverse audiences across the country. What do you think contributes to their appeal?
BT: I feel very lucky that I got recognition much earlier, that my work is being demanded. Perhaps my work is more professional. I never launch a performance unless and until I am sure that this play or performance is going to click. And unlike other writers, I never take thirty days or forty days to prepare for a show. I take almost two years designing and conceptualising, and in creating a new performance. I try and try to not repeat myself. I feel almost bad to tell you that there is no festival in India that has not had one my performances.
The first Dogri theatre was not known to anyone, it was only when we started doing things with it that everyone appreciated it. I have witnessed people changing their festival dates to accommodate our availability. One reason for the popularity of the play is the complete package that it offers. If you see the play, there is music, there is dance, drama—you will find every aspect in it. People have called my work the cultural magazine of Jammu. I am always trying to understand why people are attracted to my work.
There is a mela [fest] here in Jammu, a festival where I perform every year for two to three days. And can you imagine the size of the audience that comes to see this play? 50,000! Now I have the equipment I did not have before, so we have two and three level projections so that people in the back can see the performance too. Each projection has 10–15,000 people in the audience.
Theatre is a total show, and this is what Dogri theatre is. Dogri theatre is not western-inspired where there is only speaking and speaking and speaking. Our theatre is highly colourful, full of motives, colour, rhythm and narratives and most importantly, visual poetry. There is no word you cannot transcend.
VG: The Natrang Sunday Show has been running in Jammu every week since 2004. What have been some of the themes of these shows?
BT: (laughs) We are a place that has witnessed curfews, witnessed violence and disturbances and despite this people keep asking how has it been happening? I say, come to the studio and see how we work. A lot of my actors are trying their hand in direction also; this is a good platform for them to test themselves.
The themes are relevant, and there are a lot of social messages. People have been asking us time and again, to take on more controversial plays, to be critical of Kashmir. But there are many angles to Kashmir: there is an Indian view to Kashmir, there’s a local view to Kashmir, there is an outsider’s view to Kashmir. I should not be contributing to that confusion (laughs). The problem is one that needs time. But the question of migration from Kashmir has been a part of most of our productions, particularly with the kind of diversity we have in Jammu.
VG: You have often spoken of the need for theare to be taught in schools.
BT: We started doing children’s theatre with Natrang. Since 2000, we have been conducting a regular workshop for children. I am very keen that [theatre] be taken up as a subject. I don’t know why the CBSE [Central Board of Secondary Education] is so reluctant. I find that schools are only into business. They are not interested in the overall total development of the children. Parents are also not involved in this total development; they only look at report cards.
I have been trying to generate this awareness, through the productions of Natrang. I have a dream for Jammu, to create a multiplex theatre. And all day, there will always be several productions, by children and by regulars. I have already acquired the land, and it is in the design stage and I keep meeting with architects. I’m also looking for funding.
VG:What is the role of theatre in society, and how has the current political climate informed this role?
BT: Theatre, in particular, in my country is what shapes the intellectual life of this country. The way we are going, we will be like any other country. With roads like Singapore or buildings like that, but what of the intellectual development? I think the entire responsibility for that will be on theatre.
The political scene of this country, the life on the streets—that is the realm of theatre. Cinema and television, of course they have an outreach, but I have never found them to be in the same space as theatre. Wherever we perform, I find that there is a lot of social responsibility. If only there were more theatre groups in every town and city.
VG: A lot of your fellow Padma Shris have expressed discontentment with the current climate of intolerance. Many of them have returned their awards. How do you respond to this?
BT: I personally feel that if I have some resentment, I have a better tool with me. I am a writer, I am a playwright, I am a theatre director. I think giving back my Padma Shri, my Sangeet Natak award, would only be showing my view. I must educate people. I think we should use our creativity to bring out our opinions. If we have more listeners and more followers, we can do more than return an award. We should all contribute that way. We should all contribute towards the intellectual development of the country. There is a problem with the portal of education in this country and it is here that art, literature and theatre has a role to play.
This interview has been edited and condensed.