A GROUP OF sari-clad male actors on the first day of script reading of any play might appear weird to most theatre practitioners. The shocks continue. The announcement for the star cast takes place after 40 days of script reading, and the lead role goes to a harmonium player. The entire NSD repertory, including the

harmonium player, opposes the director’s choice in a hushed voice. After three months of rehearsals when the show opens, it becomes one of the most memorable productions of the NSD repertory and lifts the standard of Hindi theatre.
The play discovers an actor like Govind Pandey, whose real talent never breathed out of the wind chamber of harmonium. The pre-production preparation for Janeman, a play based on the sorrow and joy of Mumbai eunuchs, reveals the director’s desire to reach perfection and establish a long-term vision for the audience, actors and the art form itself in a novel way. Though this story of Janeman’s production is few years old, this is the best way to introduce the creative and determined approach of Mumbai-based director Waman Kendre in this episode of Green Room.
The era of Emergency is considered the darkest chapter of the Indian democracy, but it enlightened many to redefine their existence, believes and dreams. It also shaped Kendre’s dream of being instrumental in changing the society into a better place to live. After playing an active role in the student politics of Maharashtra, Kendre had two options for future: politics or social work. The post-Emergency political situation forced him to rethink over his choice as the scope to practise value-based politics appeared limited. Kendre’s focus was on preserving his human elements at the time of atrocities. He wanted to devise a powerful medium to create a difference in the society. At the same time, a theatre production by Ratnakar Matakri, a Marathi writer, a movie and play producer and director, left Kendre restless for days. It is often said that when we are tired of well-worn ways, we seek for new. This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb, and to seek the mountain view. Kendre chose the stairs to the stage to seek his inner satisfaction.
Challenges attract Kendre. When he chooses a content for his production, he focuses on the “virginity of subject”.
“I look for a subject which forces me to discover a new shaili and form for its presentation. It should have a fresh flavour. I want to introduce my audience to the new face of the world everytime they see my productions. I want to give them a life-time experience. If the memories of the play are not left at the auditorium’s chair immediately after the show, and stay with the audience for days, the show has served its purpose; the purpose of sensitising people towards the basic human subjects. It establishes the power of theatre as a medium of communication.”
This perfection-freak director never declares the dates for his productions unless he is satisfied with the quality of work.
Kendre’s characters always come from the “uncared and forgotten sections of the society”. He has painted the plight of eunuchs, devdasi, agriculturist, and most ignored section of the “common man”.
For this NSD graduate, providing a vision for his actors and team is very important.
“I can not convert my imagination into a creative presentation without an alignment with my actor’s thought process. An actor is the representative of a director on the stage, he is the vahak (communicator), all efforts will go useless if an actor does not believe in your vision. The journey of a production can not be completed alone; the entire team has to stick together and believe in the concept for a successful show. The actor must feel enriched while going through the entire process.”
Kendre comes from rural background. The bus still does not go to his native village with 40 mud houses. But the backwardness of the place did not affect the mindset of Kendre or his parents. His family never questioned his dreams of an unusual world.
He practises theatre in the tinsel town of Bollywood, but its glamour has never affected his stage commitment. “The glamour of Bollywood does not inspire me. If a challenging subject comes which requires the 70 mm expression, I will surely try my hands. But I will not make film only for the sake of it. Theatre and films both require a certain level of commitment and dedication,” says Kendre.
Kendre, who works in both Marathi and Hindi, raises serious question about the trend of “working in isolation”. “Theatre directors and practitioners are working in their own world. They must take out time and see other director’s work and communicate on the same. It’s about making the extra effort for the development of the medium called theatre,” he says.
Genius is often only the power of making continuous efforts. Many men throw up their hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success. But there are many others who persist. Those who do so fall in the category of Kendre.