Assam’s theatre on wheels

Documentary Films

Assam’s theatre on wheels

Soumya M Nair

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/77579/ The concept of mobile theatre in Assam was born out of an act of rebellion...

In the year 1963, Achyuth Lahkar, after spending three years learning the form of modern theatre from his brother, wondered if there was a way he could bring popular modern theatre to all parts of Asssam. When he failed to launch the concept of mobile theatre after a year of hard toil, his brother and family abandoned the idea and him. Once again, Lahkar set off with his determination to travel all over Assam and understand his audience better. In the second year of his travel, he wrote a play called ‘Beula’ and with that began Assam’s richest form of entertainment. “If I hadn’t dreamt, mobile theatres would have never existed,” says a proud Achyuth. Documentary filmmaker Merajur Rahman’s latest piece of work, The Nine Months, funded by the India Foundation for the Arts and Infosys Foundation, explores the history, form and aesthetics of Assam’s mobile theatres. It records the transformation in themes and repertoires in the genre of performance, the experience of its directors, actors, technicians and stagehands, and also documents the impact of globalisation on its practice. The film begins with the opening night of a play that’s being staged in a rural village in Assam. Thousands of village folk flock to an open field where a make-shift, double stage has been erected and plastic chairs have been arranged in rows while the actors are busy applying finishing touches to their make-up, backstage. The hero of the play talks to Rahman about how it’s been close to seven months since he’s been home, a child actor begins to experience last-minute jitters of going on-stage, a supporting actress pulls the child into a tight embrace and consoles her. There are more than 30 active mobile theatre groups in Assam today. Each troupe holds close 150 members — a mix of technicians, cooks, helpers and of course, the acting crew. They are invited by various local associations and clubs to their town, typically for a three-day event. Story lines are approved and advances are paid before they begin the preparatory process. The theatre group then spends nine months of a year together, rehearsing for the first two, and travelling to all corners of the state for the remaining seven months. Their only life support through the seven months of travel are two trucks, loaded to the brim with suitcases, wires, mesh, poles, lights, and all that they require to pull off an outstanding performance. During the nine months, or the theatre season, strong bonds are built between the cast and the crew, making it a family away from family. Having enjoyed more than 47 years of uninterrupted success, mobile theatre witness an average of 2000 members in the audience at each location. The concept is so widespread that these groups survive only on the trade of tickets. Contributing to development Once the artists and technicians are paid their due, 40 per cent of their profits are spent on a charity project. Mobile theatre groups have been able to fund more than 50 schools and colleges in Assam so far. “It was Achyuth Lahkar’s insistence to give away a large chunk of the profits that makes mobile theatres a phenomenon. The obligation to contribute to social development is fulfilled this way,” adds Rahman. Rahman, a native of Assam, spent close to three years working and developing this coming-of-age film on mobile theatres. Having spent his formative years in Assam, theatre has been an intrinsic part of his cultural tradition. Though he moved to Delhi to pursue higher studies, he continued to revisit his hometown only to watch theatre groups perform. And The Nine Months clearly gives away the filmmaker’s close association with this art form. He has managed to capture the magic of this genre, both behind the curtains and what’s seen on the face of it. “I travelled with three leading theatre groups — Kohinoor, Bhagyadevi and Awahan. We filmed during the day and watched plays in the evening. It was worth every penny and minute spent,” adds a nostalgic Rahman. The film identifies traits that are unique to this art form. Through brief clips of various theatrical adaptations, the viewer is given a sense of the themes that are popular. From plays on Benazir Bhutto to tragi-comic storylines, the genre has transformed from presenting mythological and folk stories to contemporary themes with social and political implications. Some of the oldest patrons of theatre say that Ankiya Nat, a religious form of theatre in Assam, is perhaps the base that shaped mobile theatre. Rahman confirms this hypothesis. “You could say that it is a way of catharsis for Assamese folk. With the current socio-political crisis that’s haunting the state, this comes as big relief!” Despite its huge success and growing demand, The Nine Months sets a sorrowful tone that can’t be dismissed. When asked why, he explains, “The film is about modest beginnings and the path less travelled. Success and money have not changed the ideology behind mobile theatre. To me, that is overwhelming and a life lesson.”