LUCKNOW: Who says life after retirement is dull and one has to remain confined indoors? As Walt Disney once said, 'Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional'.
This holds true for those who have retired but are not tired yet and engage in activities that fascinate them - be it theatre, creative art, dance or music.
Working on this concept, People's Initiative, a city-based non-profit organisation has come up with 'Theatre for elderlies' - by them and for them.
The idea was discussed during a meeting of the members of the organisation comprising playwrights, theatre artists, academicians, journalists and others at the UP Sangeet Natak Akademi on Monday. The members discussed several plays and films which portray the lives of elderly people, and the loneliness and hardships they face after retirement.
The examples of veteran actor Anil Rastogi and theatre director Puneet Asthana, who are pursuing their passions in their 60s and 70s, were also given.
The members discussed how senior citizens can be engaged and plays can be produced revolving around themes related to them, where they can play different characters and also how the youth can be involved in understanding their perspective. “Theatre for senior citizens can go a long way in sensitizing our community to the way they look at old age and the contribution it can make to later generations.
The ensemble activity of theatre itself requires bonding that is essential to the building of a self-reliant social structure that is at the core of our survival and well-being. Instead of thinking of seniors as individuals over the hill, we should see them as the core of our foundation,” said theatre director Salim Arif. “Theatre can influence and have a deep impact on people’s minds. The problems faced by senior citizens are evident.
Through stories related to comedy, giving out a positive message is required,” said theatre veteran Sangam Bahuguna. Sharing a recent anecdote from the recent ‘30 Days, 30 Plays’ organised at UPSNA, Bahuguna said, “While we were sceptical on how people will come to see the plays on all 30 days, it was overwhelming to find that not only the auditorium was jam packed but most people in the audience were the elderlies.
Many of them came to me on the last day and asked me how they would now spend their time,” said Bahuguna. Theatre artist Gopal Sinha said, “Only senior artists should not be given the role of elderly people. If a youngster can play the role of a senior citizen, it should be vice versa too.”
Members of the organization agreed that a 40-day theatre workshop should be organised where elderly people can teach, learn, write, enact and get involved in whatever way they can and also institute an award for creative writing by and for the elderly.
To engage more senior citizens, the members also discussed how they can do ‘baithaks’ (sittings) and ‘qissagoi’ (storytelling), and organise small gatherings in their locality so that people can become aware of such ventures. According to a survey done by organisation HelpAge India, titled ‘Bridge The Gap: Understanding Elder Needs’, 47% of the elderly are dependent on family support as their source of income, and 34% depend on pensions.
At least 21% elderly people are still working and earning while 30% are willing to volunteer and contribute to the society. The survey says 59% of the elderly report abuse prevalent in Indian society while 79% of the respondents feel that their family members do not spend enough time with them.
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