Theatre is much more visible and lucrative than before

Theatre is much more visible and lucrative than before, says a handful of artistes in the state, who have dedicated their lives to theatreIt is not a cosy and comfortable life being a full time theatre artiste; the sacrifices are many while the rewards are few. Though, none of this matter to a handful of people, who have dedicated their lives to theatre. Sujatha Jananetri, who has been actively involved in theatre for the past 25 years and has done professional as well as amateur theatre, says there is never an end to learning in theatre. “You are restricted by many other factors in other art forms, unlike theatre,” says Sujatha. She says, only those who are in dire need of an income would go for professional theatre. “I have done amateur and street theatre, and there have been times when I had to go without food, and struggled to meet my travel expenses,” she says. Ramesh Varma, a faculty member of the department of theatre at a city college, backs Sujatha’s views and says he wouldn’t advice youngsters to do theatre full time. “When compared to Karnataka, only very few plays are happening in our state. The media here also makes no efforts to recognise theatre artistes. Among my students, there are many who are very much interested in theatre. Though, no one wants to pursue it full-time and it’s wiser to be that way. What we need today is permanent theatre, like in Mumbai and Bangalore,” says Ramesh.However, for Sujatha none of that matters. “The role that theatre has played as a vehicle of societal change is immense, and being a part of it gives me immense satisfaction. It is my own passion that drives me,” she says.Gopalan, who is considered one of the finest of theatre actors the state has produced, too says it is his love for theatre that keeps him going. Gopalan writes and acts in solo plays, and has been part of several national and international theatre festivals and workshops.However, this dedicated theatre artiste says, he’s least bothered about the money he earns from it or the awards he wins. “These are commercial aspects. All that matters for me is my love for the art form,” he says.His passion is shared by many youngsters in the state, who are becoming actively involved in theatre. However, unlike him, none of then consider theatre as a career option. “It was because until recently, theatre performances were free in the state. Only now we started having ticketed shows, without which artistes cannot survive,” says Sujatha.Another positive development that the state has witnessed over the last few years is the entry of an increasing number of women into the field, which is indeed a welcome trend. However, Gopalan is quick to point out that all these youngsters lack political commitment. “I’m not saying they should support a particular political party, but theatre has always been linked with political and social circumstances of an age. We had defined political responsibilities back in the 80s, which is missing now,” he rues.Despite all this, they all agree that theatre has always catered to a niche audience and it will continue to be so in the future.