Renowned theatre actor, director, administrator and author, Dhirendranath (Dhira) Mallik has contributed in propelling the Odia theatre movement to its present status of pride and recognition. Under his leadership, Orissa Natya Sangha was formed in 1988 where all theatre groups in Odisha had united and the Government gives the auditoriums at reduced rates on the request of the Sangha. For the rise of Odia theatre and to keep artistic and socially relevant Odia theatre alive Mallik formed his pioneering theatre group Satabdira Kalakar in 1976 . The group one of the oldest in Odisha, pompously staged the first Odia play “Babaji” written by Jaganmohan Lala in 1877 on June 27th at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. The present Secretary of Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi elaborates how he has reinvented ethnocentric traditions and his involvement in the development of the Odia theatre by breaking new grounds in perspective and style.
Excerpts:
What kind of plays do you prefer to stage?
Modern theatre has become boring and is mainly for the intellectuals. The common audience like folk theatre, folk dance and any form of folk art. In 1978 we were the first group (Satabdira Kalakar) who tried to experiment with folk music and dance by infusing folk forms in the modern plays like “Ruddhadwar” and “Avatar”. The same year, we were invited by NSD to put up a show for their students and faculty. The play clicked and they appreciated it mainly because of the infusion of folk elements like Chhau, Odissi and Chadia-Chadiyani dance. In 1984 Central Sangeet Natak Akademi introduced the ‘Young Director’s scheme’ in which only those who infuse the folk art of their local region in their plays would be eligible to apply. I was only 32 and I tried my best to mount “Ruddhadwar” written by Ratiranjan Misra. The play was set in Baliapal (Balasore), where the Government of India was installing a missile test-range.The local people were protesting as they were losing their land and there was loss of greenery. We took this subject and gave it a dramatic colour with the use of folk dances and ‘lathis’ – bamboo poles and sticks used for playing dhols and as weapons.
Weren’t you with the Reserve Bank Of India?
Yes, one has to have a livelihood. It is very difficult to be a full-time theatre worker because there are no provisions from the State or Central Government on which one can sustain. Now a “Guru-Shishya Parampara” scheme has been introduced for the Guru and the student but that is not enough.
Why such a rich theatre tradition isn’t popularised outside Odisha?
We did perform at Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati but are not having good publicity. Also the theatre personalities and critics have not seen our plays. Even in Talkatora Stadium in Delhi where thousands of people watched our performance, we were not approached by any theatre personality or critic. Our theatre tradition is very rich. Our theatre directors are not known in the national arena because we are not being interviewed by good theatre critics. That’s why nobody knows us. Our first modern Odia play is “Babaji”. It was produced in 1877 by Jaganmohan Lala who had staged it in his own auditorium. We have also staged it earlier but Doordarshan has requested us to prepare the first Odia play for them. Since we are preparing for them we are also giving a public show.
In 2012, I was the President of the Natya Sangha and we went to the then Culture Minister and requested him to start the “Natya Dhara” where four new plays should be staged every month. The Government co-operated. Since 2012 four new plays are being mounted every month. Every second Sunday, one at Rabindra Mandap , and the rest of the Sundays at Bhanja Kala Mandap. The Government of Odisha is also offering the production cost. Through Natya Dhara, the interaction between different groups from all over Odisha has increased. Now Odia theatre is in a good state and is progressing well. The Sangha has 141 member groups. Now rural groups from Balangir, Sambalpur and Kalahandi stage plays in Bhubaneswar. They are staging plays to raise awareness about environment and there is a social change. Cutting of trees has come down and people use gas stoves and iron furniture.
How is Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi pushing theatre?
Sangeet Natak Akademi is looking after folk theatre dance and music and the dying art forms like the music and musicians of Gurki, Kendara, Muhuri, etc. I also look after tribal theatre to help tribals come into the mainstream. We sending two directors to Keonjhar and Koraput to unite the tribal young men and conduct theatre workshops there and stage their plays. Theatre can give them the idea to solve their problems.
You had organised the satellite programme of Bharat Rang Mahotsav this year…
The theatre people of Odisha were lucky to see Italian, American, Polish and plays of other states. In the last 18 years only 5 troupes have been selected to stage plays but this year two Odia troupes were selected to stage plays in BRM.
