Joining hands for theatre...

They win hundreds of prizes and countless appreciation certificates, but ‘Rashtrabhasha Parivar’ theatre group concentrates on introducing the young breed to new day theatre.

Yahoo! Youngsters enjoy their stay with Rashtrabhasha Team (Picture by Anil Futane)

THE atmosphere at the Rashtrabhasha Parivar building at North Ambazari Road, Nagpur is lively with the enthusiasm emanating from youngsters busy in rehearsing for their upcoming theatrical performance. Three teams, around 50 girls and boys and all engaged in some or the other work. Dialogues, claps, shouts and songs create an exceptional blend of sound packing the hall with action.

"This is our practice hall," says Rupesh Pawar, a handsome young man in his mid-twenties. Presently, he leads the activity of Rashtrabhasha Parivar. Around a hundred youngsters from the city work together presenting a number of full length dramas and one act plays as part of their year-long activity. The group is known for its unconventional way of presenting novel subjects. Award-winning one act, ‘Taai’ and much-appreciated ‘Tirichha’ are popular names and speak about the taste of the group.

Rashtrabhasha Hall is like their headquarters. It is a rehearsal hall, restroom, theatre -- almost like a second home. "Nowadays, we are busy in preparations for ‘First Bell on Stage’ in which seven to eight plays will be performed on the same platform. We are converting the hall into a small auditorium," Rupesh points out.

"Here we give freedom and platform. One can try hand at writing, directing, acting or on the technical side, whatever one prefers," says Rupesh -- ‘Dada’ for all youngsters.

Along with him, Nasir Sheikh, Amit Shende, Dhananjay Mandavkar, Amit Umak, Aasawari Ramekar, Mithun Hatwar and many others are well-known names in experimental and amateur theatre these days. All have emerged from Rashtrabhasha Parivar.

Secretary of Rashtrabhasha Parivar, Sureshbabu Agrawal is their supporter and patron. "I support these youngsters because they are full of enthusiasm and intelligence. I have not done much, just allotted the hall for practice," Agrawal says humbly. However, for the team, he is a friend, philosopher and guide who always inspires them to do good work.

It is not that these people do not have worries. They have studies and careers too. But what pains them is that a career in the field they love the most -- theatre - is tough. "There are drawing teachers, dance teachers in schools, but drama teacher is always missing," laments Dhananjay Mandavkar. "It is not possible for everyone to go to Mumbai and struggle."

For Rupesh, the lack of formal training for youngsters is a point of worry. "Since last four years, not even a single theatre workshop has been organised in Nagpur. Earlier, we attended workshops and seminars here and learnt a lot from experts. But the next generation is missing all this," he says. Well, not exactly ‘all this’, as Rupesh and his friends are training youngsters. "We are not trainers, we work together," he makes it clear, while expressing confidence on the creative ability of his team. "We face difficulties and overcome them. We do not get sponsors so we contibute money on our own. We may have differences, but we join hands for theatre," Rupesh says with a smile -- which promises a bright future for the city’s theatre movement.

Cutting of the same article that appeared in The Hitavada