Plotting a play

Mona

Actor Deep Mandeep misses her group meetings at her residence on Maqbool Road, where they used to discuss plays and plan new projects. Also, those tea sessions under the jamun tree at Virsa Vihar. Because like everything else, the cultural-scape of Amritsar is under lockdown too! But then, who can cage artistes? They have kept their collective creative juices flowing through video conferencing.

“The lockdown hit us when we were in the middle of a month-long theatre festival. Artistes as well audiences are heartbroken,” says the theatre veteran, Mandeep, who runs a group named Aktors On Stage.

Stuck in Chandigarh currently, she is hopeful, “We have gotten used to a new lifestyle. Art and artistes would find a way to keep their creative spark alive.”

Look out for inspiration

The lockdown has brought the very thriving theatre scene of Amritsar to stand still. But renowned theatre-person Kewal Dhaliwal feels that artistes are positive people. “It is true that theatre artistes love company, they want to be a part of society and the lockdown has snatched that beautiful part of our being.” But he also understands that it is essential to safeguard against the pandemic. “We have engrossed ourselves in reading and writing,” says Dhaliwal, president of Manch Rangmanch. What’s keeping him motivated is the possibility of writing new plays based on this pandemic.

“Corona has shaken the humanity. The lure of foreign shores is fading and one is wishing to be close to their family and friends; hoping to catch a special flight and be home somehow. Who would have thought that there would be days when one wouldn’t be able to bid final goodbye to loved ones?” Dhaliwal hopes that post-corona, life would be simpler and relations will be more precious. “Imagine what all can be written about—one’s bonds, the struggles of daily wagers and how life has gone through a 360 degree spin…”

Ready for tomorrow

Theatre patron and writer Joginder Brar is fine-tuning the dialogues for his next play. But the overall atmosphere, he finds, less than inspiring. “Padhna, likhan taan mood naal hunda hai, with such misery all around, I can hardly pick up the pen to create something new.” But he is trying his best to keep theatre-people engaged. “I write plays and different directors design them so that they can be staged at Punjab Natshala. While staging seems like a long shot at this moment, I have asked the directors to plan things so that as soon as life gets back to normal, new plays can be staged.”

This septuagenarian industrialist, founder of Punjab Naatshala, does see a wealth of subjects to write about in this corona-stricken world. “So many new aspects of life have come to the fore. Relationships are enjoying a new hue. I was touched when the permission for construction work was granted, and the enthusiastic labourers started work on their own. Such things can become raw materials for plays. If not now when will we understand the true meaning of Kirat karo, Naam japo and Vand chakko. We must live together and help each other,” says Brar.

The show must go on

Sumeet Singh, the district head for Taraksheel Society, says the lockdown might have put a halt to physical gatherings, but not to intellectual debates. “Theatre, be it by Gursharan bhaji or Kewal Dhaliwal or Dr Atamjit, has enriched our society. After years, this May Day has gone without staging a single play. But that doesn’t stop us from paying homage to the Chicago martyrs from our homes. As soon as the restrictions are over, I am sure artistes would be back in action and do their bit to make the world a better place.”