Gujarati stage goes global

AHMEDABAD: It's been said 'Sahitya samaj ka darpan hai' (Literature is a mirror of society). This is equally true of theatre. If you want to get a glimpse of a particular social milieu, go watch its plays, noted literary figure Umashankar Joshi has observed. But, what if there is a language problem? If you don't understand Gujarati, for instance. Not to worry, Gujarati stage has gone global.Now, around 60 Gujarati plays are available as DVDs with English subtitles.
The DVDs mainly cater to non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) and their GenNext who are born and brought up in a foreign land and want a flavour of their native state. Great hits like 'Abhinay Samrat', 'Pati Nane Patangiyu', 'Bus Kar Bakula', 'Ame Barafna Pankhi', 'Hu Reema Bakshi' and 'Kanti Tofane Chadyo' are now available as DVDs with talented artistes like Tiku Talsania, Darshan Jariwala, Sarita Joshi and Homi Wadia, starring in them.
Gujarati theatre has a glorious history and is thriving in Mumbai, and, to some extent, in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat. Says well-known dramatist Sidharth Randeria, "Many were sceptical about this project. They felt that if DVDs proliferate, we might lose the live audience. But, we realized that these DVDs are a good tool for NRGs to make their youngsters aware of Gujarati language and culture. It has been having a positive impact on them and we have discovered a new audience."
The purpose of making the DVDs is not solely commercial, says Hiren Gada, director of Shemaroo Entertainment. It is one way of preserving great plays and recording the talent of actors for posterity.
"We experimented with English subtitles, as we felt that Gujarati drama reflects the pride of the state. We wanted to present this 'banquet of culture' to the NRG community and have been getting appreciative feedback," he says.
The DVDs keep in mind the live medium by using three cameras. Editing is slick, and subtitles are appropriately inserted according to the dialogues.