|
|
 |
 |
| |
|
Jyoti Vyas is a senior theatre person trained at the NSD. She has the distinction of training under the legendary Ebrahim Alkazi. After she graduated from the NSD, she went on to work in television. Her name has come to be associated with some of the best tele-serials and plays that were aired on Doordarshan in the eighties. She has also made her mark as a translator and a reviewer of plays. Her articles and reviews have been published in newspapers such as ‘The Asian Age’. Currently she is teaching a theatre programme at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai. The following interview with Jyotiben traces her artistic journey from her childhood to the NSD and leads right up to her present position. Along side personal recollections, she also offers us her observations about Gujarati theatre, past and present.
|
Deepa Punjani
Let’s start at the very beginning Jyotiben. Tell us how were you initiated to the theatre? In one of our phone conversations you said that theatre happened almost accidentally for you. That you were a qualified dancer to begin with…
 Yes absolutely. During my school and college days I learnt vocal classical
music and the Sitar. Since I had a lot of time on my hands then, I used to take part in dramas and dance ballets at the Saurashtra Sangeet Natak Academy in Rajkot. I was thoroughly pampered perhaps because I was the youngest of all my siblings. I also recall being a happy go lucky person and to an extent was a bright student. My two brothers and sister encouraged me a lot. Despite acute financial problems in the face of the Partition, my family and I left Karachi leaving everything behind. My oldest brother was just seventeen or eighteen then and although my mother was a Montessori trained teacher and a qualified nurse, we had to make do without a regular income. Yet my wishes continued to be encouraged. Some time my class fees were paid after a 3 or 4 month lapse. May be due to financial problems I always tried to gain the best I could from my various classes. However once my health detoriated considerably as I practiced my dancing for hours. I had no option but to rest for six months. It was during that time that I received a letter from one of the professors at Rajkot Academy. Mr. Dhananjay Thakkar who was a faculty member then at the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi asked me to apply for the scholarship there. I did so hesitatingly because of my love for dance and for some personal reasons. Besides I had to also face my college’s final exams. But eventually I made the trip from Rajkot to the NSD.
You have the distinction of training under no one else but the legendary Ebrahim Alkazi. How was it like to be a part of the very second batch at the National School of Drama (NSD) and to be training under a man who revolutionalized the theatre scene in the country?
Well I have another thing to be proud of! Not only did I get to train with Mr. Alkazi but I had the advantage of being there at the NSD for two whole years before he made his dynamic entry. And three of us from a class of thirteen were selected to do our specialization under his guidance. I can then proudly say I guess that I was witness to the dramatic changes that NSD underwent in his tenure there. For two years we were at Kailash colony and the third year was just a different world owing to his presence. The very look of the institution changed. From a government institution it was transformed into an artistic hub of beauty. We soon found ourselves sitting in a small green garden which had a lotus pond and a huge stone slab to sit by under the trees. The building was painted; space was reorganized and paintings and sculptures adorned the walls and the corridors. Everything was very neat and clean. On our first day we went to the hall that was converted into a small theatre. Soft music was playing and Mr. Alkazi's entry made it all so picture perfect. Truly a guru, great artist and a lovely human being who was to pave the path in theatre training and guide numerous students in the world of arts and not to mention in the arena of life! Thus in just one year under Mr. Alkazi I learnt more than I learnt at Rajkot Academy or at the NSD before him.
While at the NSD, which specialty did you gravitate towards?
We were the first batch to be inducted for specialization and probably Mr. Alkazi had little time to plan anything specific for us. I got more involved in assisting Mr. Alkazi with school productions and did small roles in other plays too. It was great to see him working and I was fortunate to work with him.
Any batch mates who have gone on to become famous?
The biggest name amongst the three of us is B.V. Karanth's. He went on to become the director at the NSD and did some brilliant productions. If I remember correctly he directed Girish Karnad's HAYVADANA and designed the music for the play too. I wasn't very much in touch with him due to certain ideological differences. But he played first the role of my father in SARAIKE BAHAR. I always called him Papa. Second in line was B. M. Shah, a well-known writer and actor. He had a good knowledge of folk traditions existing amongst the people living in the mountains. He too had a stint as Director at the NSD. In my first two years, we had a brilliant actor Madhukar from down south and I saw him acting in regional movies too.
What did you do after graduating from the NSD?
This is a little complicated. In order to further my practical experience in the theatre, I first began to work with the Mumbai wing of the Indian National Theatre (INT) in the absence of an NSD repertory. Mr. Alkazi had also advised me to get the bachelor's degree and I appeared for my BA exams and passed. I had applied for a French scholarship at Delhi but at that time the interviewers thought I was too young to be sent. I stared learning French at the Alliance Francaise, did a Hindi play for the INT acted in a number of their Gujarati plays. I wasn't very happy and I was in constant touch with Mr. Alkazi. He wrote to me asking me to apply for television. That was in 1966.
 For a few months I worked in the Song and Drama Division, Delhi and then came television. I learnt a lot about the medium of the television on the job and came in contact with some very amazing people. I was very happy then and continued to act in plays with theatre groups like 'Yatrik' and 'Abhiyan'. I translated Madhu Rai's Gujarati play KOI PAAN EK PHOOLNU NAM BOLO TO into Hindi. That particular play was staged, published and televised. Ketan Mehta made a tele film of the same translation. I also translated Hindi plays into Gujarati and acted in T.V. Plays. I was in touch with the NSD productions all along.
In 1972 I came to Mumbai. Before that I received Television training at TTC Delhi as producer. Once in Mumbai I devised, planned and directed most of the Gujarati programmes that were broadcasted in those days. My schedule was such that in a month I had to produce and direct 13 programmes ranging from an hour to fifteen minute duration. I was able to soon bring in novelists and short story writers to write for television. In the early seventies Gujarati theatre was mainly presenting commercially successful Marathi plays that had been translated into Gujarati, but of course with more gloss. I tried to change this by encouraging original Gujarati literature and authentic adaptations.
The First eight episode series on Mumbai Television was 'Tulsi Kyaro' based on the eponymous novel by Zaverchand Meghani. For other programmes I brought in the best talents I could find from Baroda. I can the same for Classical dance programmes that we aired. Later I was sent to East Germany for television training and I saw some amazing theatre. The most impressive thing for me was the fact that even the smallest town had a theatre with at least 200 seats. My NSD training flooded back as I saw the theory of
alienation in practice. Other experiences included seeing a staged version of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. I had seen the film but when I saw the play I could feel the difference between how a really good production could brilliantly come across. I did a short stint with the Poona Film and Television Institute (FTII) as an assistant lecturer. I am also quite proud to say that I produced the first satellite Programme with dual sound Channels.
I initiated the Ahemdabad television studio and its Mumbai afternoon service was initially planned by me with a team of producers. I retired as Deputy Director, program in charge at Ahemdabad in 1996. But once in Mumbai I did not take too long to take to the stage despite my workload. Arun Sachdev asked me to play Lakshmi in SAKHARAM BINDER with Siddharath and Geeta Kak. I was reluctant as all my evenings were busy at Doodarshan so Arun used to came at 8:00 am to the television studio and rehearse with me for an hour and a half before I got busy with my usual office work.
Next I worked with Kanti Madia. I felt his theatre had substance and strove to maintain the right balance between commercial interests and art for art's sake. In his plays I played small but significant roles and enjoyed the experience.
There has been a lot of backlash against the NSD in recent times. Do you too feel that the institution is suffering from bureaucratic mediocrity?
Yes undoubtedly. The decline probably started with the exit of Mr. Alkazi. My recent experiences at the NSD festivals and a couple of other visits have made me feel very sad for the sake of the young bright students. It is not only bureaucracy but the domination and the superiority of the Hindi language. This is a very disturbing thing to happen to an institution that has a national character.
When did you begin to write feature articles on the theatre and review plays? Did writing come to you easily?
Actually I am really good at writing in Gujarati and I come from a family of journalists. My first piece of writing was on Sartre when he was awarded the Nobel Prize. I had returned from the NSD so I was asked to write and I did. Just like acting in plays, I have been writing in Gujarati. The late poet and journalist Harindra Dave asked me to write regularly for 'Pravasi'. Amongst other newspapers and magazines I write for 'Samkalin', 'Sambhaav Ahmedabad' and my brother's weekly 'Sarathi'. In 2000 Abid Surati asked me to talk to The Asian Age Editor Sujoy Gupta but I refused because till then I had not written in English. I did not feel very comfortable with the idea. Later I met Sujoy with Abid and other friends and he convinced me and offered to take up the whole page but I knew my limitations and agreed to start with weekly review/ reviews or some articles about the theatre. Initially it was tough working on the computer. Would you believe that for almost a year I used to go with printouts and deliver those to the press! Initially reviews were a little difficult to write as it was natural for me to think in Gujarati. I can't say that writing comes easy to me but I enjoy things I accomplish with struggle and hard work. I believe the art of writing like any other art is a product of the mind's desire to grow and break the cocoon of preconceived notions and beliefs.
 Given the almost absent space for qualified reviews in our daily newspapers, is the critic important any longer?
The critic remains important although these days, reviews are an exercise in public relations or surrogate publicity to the patrons especially in Mumbai as compared to the other cities like Delhi where newspaper publicity is minimal. Mumbai newspapers are allotted major chunk of the production budget. So serious theatre critics should find the way to reach the theatre audience and make them see the theatre with new perspectives.
You're one of the oldest observers of the Gujarati theatre scene. Can you phase out the best days of the Gujarati theatre, especially now that it has detoriated significantly?
I would say that the Gujarati theatre today has been transformed into a big business activity. Gujarati theatre in Mumbai once had the knack of balancing art with business. Good directors did really good plays with box-office success. I stared seeing
plays regularly from 1972 and have seen almost all the Bhangwadi traditional Gujarati plays. Actually in the eighties the theatre scene was far better although the Bhangwadi theatre had closed down. But the old guards like Pravin Joshi, Arvind Joshi, Kanti Madia, Shailesh Dave, Vijay Dutt and of course Upendra Trivedi and Arvind Trivedi to name a few were doing an amazing job of presenting relevant plays with innovative theatre techniques as required by the subject.
What factors do you think are responsible for the muck that Gujarati theatre finds itself in?
Lure of money and the opportunity to jump into television and films. Besides the theatre has slipped from the hands of the artist into the hands of the business-minded middleman. This middleman's success depends on his capacity to sell the maximum shows of a play. He is least concerned with quality or any kind of artistic standard. Shows for the social groups have to meet the gross entertainment criteria. The commanders of these social mandals are known to dictate the plot of the play. As innocuous jokes get added, the serious portions are deleted. Some of these mandals even have feasts for their patrons before the show. Members must enjoy their food even if it means editing the play!
The play's success these days is measured by the number of shows rather than the artistic value of the presentation. Today's television is also to be greatly blamed for this sorry state of affairs. The tele-serials have brought in an unreal idealism and glamour in ordinary houses and those mindless serial characters have become idols and role models. The affluent masses see plays these days for socializing. Yet another disturbing thing to have started a while back is the roping in of television actors and film artistes by Gujarati producers who ventured to do plays in Hindi. Instead of any improvement in the aesthetic quality of the play, the ticket rate jumped four or five times. Today you have a famous tele-serial character, a non Gujarati play the lead role in a Gujarati play. The shows are well attended but excuse me- where is the play??
You have been rebuked by some key players in the Gujarati theatre industry for your frank observations. Mainstream Gujarati theatre is undoubtedly lacking a critical voice. Do you think the situation is likely to change?
Oh, I have been outspoken for as long as I have been writing. I used to book tickets in a clandestine manner and review the plays. The  people who were angry about the article in PT notes and had not even read it. The daily newspaper's editor was decent and upright and she published my retort to them without changing a word. The situation ultimately will change as this cannot go on…even now there are a few Gujarati theatre activists who are doing the work of their choice without compromising quality and even if they fail in one project they go ahead with a new one. Manoj Shah is one of them. His productions of MASTER PHOOLMANI, AKHO AKHABOLO and MAREEZ are valuable contributions to the Gujarati theatre. Similarly Aatish Kapadia and JD Majhetia give at least one good play every two years. But for some time they have been sucked into television but their serials are undoubtedly good. Mumbai Theatre however misses them.
You have a high regard for the theatre work done by Saumya Joshi in Ahemdabad. But in your opinion do we have more young people like him in Gujarati theatres who are not only committed to their work but who are also exploring contemporary issues without being communal or xenophobic?
Unfortunately I don't see anyone who can match his level of an all round creativity except his brother Abhijat Joshi who is a playwright.
Have you had an opportunity to see plays done by Daxin Bajrange of the Chara tribe in Ahemdabad?
Yes and No. I went to Ahmedabad when he was released from jail after a strong protest from the cultural and literary groups. I met him and penned a long interview for PT notes. But I couldn't see his work as he was not allowed to enter the area of his activities which is known as Chhaara Nagar. But later after some time I suggested his plays for Thespo and Quasar invited him. He performed his first play BUDHAN SABAR in the parking space of the NCPA with the headlights of four cars on. It was a disturbing experience. I haven't been able to see his other work like Badal Sircar's BHOOMA and other plays based on encounter deaths of people from denotified tribes.
You are currently teaching a Theatre Arts' programme at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. But as we have discussed you have to put up with administration failure which has greatly hampered the program and even its well-known, annual inter-collegiate drama competition. Do you think it is at the level of organisational management that the problem lies or do you feel that the youth today are not as committed to the theatre as they once were?
There can't be just any one party that can be held responsible. BVB is a growing institution and administrative work is increasing and getting more complicated with so many avenues of media opening up. Any event organization has become a complex and a competitive affair. Take the case of the annual, inter-collegiate drama competition. It was held simultaneously with three other drama competitions in the city. Now if such logistics cannot be worked out within the institution, a lot of work is duplicated without achieving anything extra for the young talents. Many things can be worked out which would benefit both the institution and the young people. For instance why can't established theatre directors and producers who have judged them, give actor parts to the best talent in their productions? Instead of merit certificates bring them together and produce a play. Give them the BVB banner and the amenities to perform in colleges and schools. Give them scholarships to study drama or attend workshops. Thus the yearly event should be transformed into an ongoing long-term project. Then only these glorious events of the past will survive and be restored to the same glory.
Now as far as commitment from the young people is concerned, there will be the few who are serious and totally committed to the theatre; may be some young people will use theatre as stepping stone to go on to TV /film and they too have the right to choose. But generally students take teachers as role models and it depends on the teacher to prove worthy of their respect! I don't think young people are any less committed. But they are definitely not properly guided.
How many plays have you yourself directed? Any favourites…
Not many for the stage as with a government job I was not expected to do any work out side. I did take permission and did three plays and the first one did 35 public shows. But for the television, I did hundreds of skits and serials and dramatized original Gujarati novels and short stories. All most all of my work has been pleasurable yet I could say that my first serial in 1973- Tulasi Kyaro, First play- SAMARPAN, later a play called PARALYSIS which was a dramatization of Chandrakant Bakshi's novel, the dramatization of Varsha Adalja's award winning novel MARE PAN EK GHAR HOI are the few that I could proudly look back at.
What comes easier to you? Directing, Teaching or Writing?
Writing as I have mentioned earlier is not easy for me. I have enjoyed directing and teaching is something that I have taken to recently. I find it so fulfilling that I wonder why I didn't do it earlier. You for got to ask me about acting. I love acting but I have a one track mind so after first serial Mare Pan Ek Ghar Hoi I stopped acting because there was no I could have trusted to sit on the penal and carry my directions on a multiple camera set up.
*The interviewer is Editor of this site, a theatre critic and an academic keenly interested in Theatre and Performance Studies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
List Your Play