'I'm not a fast lane driver'

JAYEETA GANGULY / TNN / Aug 10, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Theatre personality MK Raina talks about how he has allowed his work to do the talking.

‘Compared to Kolkata, Delhi is a tragedy,’ says Raina.
After the play was staged in Kolkata, you went to Santiniketan with the play. What was reaction like?
Everyone was deeply moved by the whole experience. They could relate to the second half of the play where there are plenty of discourses on Santiniketan. The people there lived every moment of the play.
Do you think that the mantle of being the Mahatma or being Gurudev rests heavily on the shoulders of MK Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore? Should they be seen as human beings first?

Absolutely. They are human beings like you and me. They have their flaws and their weaknesses. But, we have turned them into Gods and cannot imagine them to be at fault.
I feel such expectations do great injustice to them. Brecht had once said: ‘Sad is the country which needs heroes’ and this saying holds true for our country. Instead of seeing their humane face and appreciating their sacrifices and their works, we are up in arms the moment their flaws are discussed.

How do you look at the theatre scene in Kolkata?
I have been coming to Kolkata for the last three decades now and each time I come here, I feel I have come home. People are genuinely interested in theatre and there’s so much energy.
Those from this field are constantly re-inventing themselves. New people are joining the foray. One can hold dialogues with them and they are constantly falling back on references. This is so heartening.
What about Delhi?
Compared to Kolkata, Delhi is a tragedy. There, theatre caters to only a niche audience. There’s the central government, the state government and so many so-called cultural bodies/institutions. I refer to them as landlord harvesters. The cultural bodies are not interested in sowing the seeds of culture. That job is left to the individuals. They do not believe in doing any practical work. Moreover, in Delhi, we lack the proper infrastructure.
What’s your take on corporate intervention in theatre?
I wonder if the corporate houses in India are truly that philanthropic in their attitude like their Western counterparts. In the West, big companies want to be associated with art and culture. Here, I feel it’s more of an ad campaign and the corporate houses follow the populist ideology. You will find that mainly theatre groups from Mumbai are brought in as guest performers at theatre festivals. There’s more to theatre than gaining mileage.
You like to keep a low profile. Is that a conscious decision?
I am not a fast lane driver, I am more of a long lane jogger who likes to admire nature, sit under a tree before resuming his journey. I do not believe in wasting a lot of time showing off. I have my own circle of friends, my mentors and I also believe in letting my work do the talking.
Though you have worked with directors like Mrinal Sen, Kumar Shahani, Mani Kaul, and Buddhadeb Dasgupta, you never joined mainstream Bollywood...
It was never my agenda to be a part of Bollywood. I cannot run from one producers or director’s office to another asking for work. I have never been able to do that. I am happy with what I am doing. There are times when movie offers have come my way and if I liked script, I had accepted the offer, done my job and come back. Recently, I finished shooting for an Aamir Khan movie revolving around a handicapped child. It was a good experience.
You have worked extensively with the children in Kashmir. You have taught them to deal with their trauma through theatre. Tell us something about it.
I started this project in 1999. I went on my own and mobilised sources and started holding theatre workshops. I involved the youth, the teachers and the students. Earlier, when we used to hold underground workshops, there was no auditorium. But now, things are changing. There’s an auditorium and people come for late shows as well. I hold the workshops in Srinagar and the villages surrounding it. I used short stories penned by Kashmiri writers, made them aware of their rich culture. I will soon be initiating the children into traditional folk performances. The children have to be brought out of their trauma. What better way than art to do it?
What next can we expect from your stable?
Well, at the moment I am busy with the production of Bhaan Bhatt Ki Atmakatha, written by Hazari Prasad Dwivedi. I am sure everyone will enjoy the play.

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