Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub: We want to provide a better platform to new writers in the theatre

Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and Rasika Agashe are in a happy place. After a five-year long journey, and nationwide search they have around 400 original, newly written Hindi plays from young writers and this year they extended it to include Marathi and English too.

The creative duo are the brains behind reviving original writing and through this initiative, they have brought forth multiple talents in the world of theatre.

Their recently concluded festival in Mumbai, staged four award winning plays. The Hindi plays were judged by Purva Naresh and Sapan Saran, Marathi plays by Mohit Takalkar and Prajakt Deshmukh, while English plays were judged by Keval Arora and Quasar Thakore Padamsee. These were compiled in a book that released during the festival. Along with the plays the festival also had an exhibition on theatre and multiple interactive discussions.

“The aim of Sanhita Manch is to provide a better platform to new writers in the theatre. They get mentorship and a chance to present their plays in front of a good jury, from which they receive feedback and special attention. This helps them gain better clarity and understanding about their work. The major issue for plays is that they often struggle to find a platform and good directors or shows. Sanhita Manch provides that platform and exposure for them. It also helps in connecting writers with the rest of the theatre community which is one of the biggest advantages,” says Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.

Talking about the beginning of it all, Rasika says, “It has been almost five years since its inception. Sanhita Manch started because we were sitting and discussing that we wanted to do theatre, but we couldn’t find any good new scripts. There was no fun in doing the same old plays. So, we thought about what we could do. I suggested, “Let’s announce a competition and see how many scripts come in.” And that’s how our friendships and discussions gradually took a formal shape. We made the announcement and relied on Facebook for social media promotion. In the first year, we received around 80 scripts. Then we thought, “Why should I alone perform these plays?” So, we started giving scripts to more directors. That’s how Sanhita Manch started. Now, Sanhita Manch accepts plays in Hindi, Marathi, and English.” The festival will be held in Jaipur and Delhi in the last week of this month.