Ashokenagar Natyaanan, one of the most prominent theatre groups of Kolkata, turns 33 this year. Mentored and nurtured by actors like Chandan Sen and Shantilal Mukherjee, names that aspirants in this field look up to, the group with its constant production and presentation of socially, culturally and politically relevant plays has made a noteworthy place for itself in the theatre society of Kolkata. Taking The Telegraph through its over three-decade journey, two representative generations of the group, talk to us about theatre past and present. Excerpts:
What was the thought behind forming Ashokenagar Natyaanan?
Chandan Sen: Our friend Kanad Ghatak, who was in charge of the sound in theatre, called me one day for some work. They used to do theatre but not in a serious manner. After he took me there, we started properly. That is how even the group got named. This is Tollygunge’s Ashokenagar.
Shantilal Mukherjee: When Natyaanan started directing theatre, one of their group members had fallen sick once and I was called to replace him. That is when Theatre Passion ousted Chandan and me. Then Kanad told us that since his father ousted us, we could go and join him to do theatre.
Rwitobroto, you must have started at an early age in this group...
Shantilal: Four years!
Rwitobroto: The group used to do a play at that time by Utpal Dutt— Surya Shikar. Chandan uncle used to direct. In Surya Shikar, the person who used to play the role of a child grew up and that is when I joined. I was told from the beginning— whatever you say, you have to say it loudly. I think, so many actors of the present generation should have been told this, but weren’t.
Shantilal: For theatre, ‘Whatever you say, say the truth’ becomes ‘Whatever you say, say it loudly’! (Everyone laughs)
What has been your most appreciated character to date?
(All three humbly denies to speak about themselves but eventually agrees to tell us about each other)
Chandan: What we have been able to do is, from the beginning, we present a play with 20-30 people on stage.
Shantilal: The idea is, that when someone can’t do a particular character, there is always someone ready to replace him. Three to four people are prepared right from the rehearsal. If we don’t involve 35 people in one play, we can do the same play at least in three different halls at the same time! That’s how we prepare the team. It has been Chandan’s rule from the beginning. No one has to sit for two-three years to do something in this group. They start working from the moment they join.
Rwitobroto: Basically, the concept of understudy that already prevails outside….
Shantilal: This is the reason we get very few call shows. We are a group of 35!Chandan: For Shantilal, his much-appreciated performances are the Bengali version of Desire Under the Elms. He used to do the character of the father. Also, Laal Shobuj. But I don’t think he ever had a low performance.
Shantilal: For Chandan, his character in Surya Shikar and his portrayal of Ramkrishna in Juganayak. The king in Hirak Rajar Deshe.
Chandan: For Rwitobroto, his portrayal of Prince Gaelon in Archimedes er Mrityu. I think, when it comes to acting, what is most important is truthfulness. Not only for the actor but for the audience, too. He has many days ahead of him. Also, his portrayal of Bile in Juganayak.
Shantilal: There was a sword fight in Surya Shikar and we were staging the play in Madhusudan Mancha. He (Rwito) had come to watch the play. After the play, he came up to tell me he didn’t like the way I fought with the swords. He said, give them to me and I will show you how it is done! (Everyone laughs)
Rwitobroto: I will be very biased because I like all their performances. But if I have to choose, I would say Archimedes er Mrityu because for two hours straight Chandan Sen remains on stage in this play. It was a great lesson for all of us. Another is Ramkrishna in Juganayak. The moment where Ramkrishna after listening to Bile sing opens his eyes. That is something we used to sit in the wings and watch him perform. In Apabitra, his character probably has the best lines and he did nothing in that performance. That restraint of an actor was also a learning experience for us because that is what made his character stand out.
For my father (Shantilal), it is the character he plays in Bashonar Brikhyamul. I saw Surya Shikar when I was very young and watched him in Hirak Rajar Deshe in the video. In Rashtriya, baba was very restrained as an actor, so I really liked it.
What are some of the highlight moments for the group in these 33 years?
Rwitobroto: In 2014, we did a play called Poteksan, adapting Bertolt Brecht. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen came to watch it.
Shantilal: We didn’t invite him. He came to watch it himself.
Chandan: He stood up during the interval and shouted and asked, ‘If people don’t watch such plays, what plays do they watch? Why is the hall empty?’ That was a memorable experience for us. Nuroldiner Sarajibon is also important for Natyaanan. Bengali theatre made something possible that had not happened in this part or the western countries of the world. Sudipto Chattopadhyay of NYU Tisch School of the Arts took me to New York and New Jersey to co-direct a play with him. It was performed under the banner of Dipan Ray's Epic Actors' Workshop. Professional equity actors played the role of foreign characters and they came and performed with Natyaanan, too. We did about 12 shows in New York’s Second Avenue where the Fringe Festival happens. We did ten houseful shows. In this play, we got to do a lot of physical jugglery. The play had a moon, and throughout the play, the Bengali dialogues would be transcribed and projected on that moon. We did four shows here. At Ganga Jamuna, Nandikar, Kalyani and Sarat Sadan.
Rwitobroto: In our group, listening to the dialogue is equally important. Nowadays, there are fewer plays where one can take back a dialogue with them after watching the play. It is so much about lights and deconstructing the stage. However, in our group, everyone gives importance to verbose plays, which is important. Many feel confused about which group they should join. They should go and see which play has more fresh faces and there is less predominance of actors. In such groups, there’s a higher scope of learning.
Chandan: We do workshops throughout the year. We discuss everything and everyone is encouraged to talk. We have a digital library with 3000 books that anyone can access. We take exams every year for all our group members. We don’t want our group members to not be aware of the history of Bengal’s theatre when they are a part of our group.
What were some of the challenging moments so far?
Shantilal: It is always a challenge. We require Rs 2.5 to 3 lakhs to get a production done, who is going to give us that money? Without money, it is always a challenge. Now, we don’t have to spend on advertisement anymore, we advertise on Facebook free of cost. And the recent challenge is not finding a play to perform.
Chandan: We have always believed, the kind of theatre we do is the theatre of resistance. No matter who the ruler is, we speak for the time. Their love, their voices, their torture — we highlight that. We are not able to find stories because people are keeping their eyes shut to everything that’s happening around us. Our upcoming play is on that for Brecht’s 126 years, where after the three monkeys, there is a fourth now that won’t hear, see or say anything. There’s no option because everyone who is writing is representing a flag. We have Shakespeare, Rabindranath Tagore, Utpal Dutt, Mohit Chattopadhyay and Badal Sircar. I also support a political group. But if the group I support is doing something wrong, I should only be the first person to say it. For me, doing theatre is only a political stand.
What was your most memorable casting so far?
Chandan: We did a play called Chhaayabaaji. People didn’t know Anirban Bhattacharya then, but he played our protagonist. Mishka Halim, Kamalika Banerjee, Asit Basu, Anindya Sain, Rajatava Dutta, Kharaj Mukherjee, Sudipa Basu and Tulika Basu — all acted with us. Kabir Suman did the music in Chhaayabaaji.
How do you envision the group’s future and what has been your most important lesson?
Chandan: Whatever I learnt from Ramaprasad Banik and Utpal Dutt, I am trying to pass it down to the other generations. A lesson I learnt is, the leader should be behind the group. We want to become an institute. We want to have a theatre space of our own.
Shantilal: The most important lesson I learnt under Chandan’s guidance is the ability to observe.
Rwitobroto: Every day here is a lesson for me. We do our work alone here, from ironing out outfits to set set-up. We want it to be a happy place where nobody feels forced to do anything. We have already started doing our own interview series. We wish to adapt plays as short films where our actors will act and work on our archival.
Picture: Krishna Kumar Sharma