On International Women's Day, as the world begins to take stock of gender inclusivity in society, it is heartening to see the emergence of contemporary Indian theatre as a place where powerful women performers, writers and directors are celebrating the female gaze and feminine perspectives.
On this occasion, we spoke to a few of such influential exponents of theatre to hear just who inspired their journey and helped them aspire to the success that they enjoy today.
Geetanjali Kulkarni
I am working currently with Shakuntala Bai Nagarkar, a veteran Lavani dancer in a play called 'Lavani Ke Rang'. She has also taught me the intricacies of Lavani, and I admire her a lot because of her talent, tremendous stage presence, spontaneity, ability to improvise, irrepressible spirit and energy. She is over 65 years old, and still so dedicated to her art and this commitment is something all performing artists can learn from her. If you were to ask me about #MyTheatreSuperHero of all time, I would have to mention the late Manipuri actor Heisnam Sabitri whose monumental career continues to inspire me.
Rajeshwari Sachdev
This picture holds a special place as this was when we made the stage at our playground. IPTA Balmanch was started by Kaifi Azmi Saaheb and I was a part of it. My love for theatre began with watching our elders rehearse their plays. Watching them bring stories alive on stage at the Prithvi Theatre was mesmerising. Then we kids got a chance to explore the magic of theatre through Balmanch. It was a wonderful place to discover more about the arts and literature and to work as a team. All of us in the picture still have the same spirit and love for the arts and I continue to be inspired by those profound early lessons.
Aahana Kumra
Both Naseeruddin Shah sir and Makarand Deshpande whom I call Mac sir are my true superheroes. They have inspired me immensely because of the kind of people they are and because of their untiring passion for theatre. They believe in the younger generation and have faith that we will definitely keep the legacy of Indian theatre alive. This photo with Naseer sir was taken after the show of 'The Father' and he is truly a father figure in my life. The other photo with Makarand sir was taken during the interval of 'Sir Sir Sarla' at Prithvi Theatre’s green room. He is someone I have learnt a lot from and he is a true mentor to many young actors like me.
