Yes! the rising stars have arrived

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IN THE CITY of Gold, I found many alchemists – some had mastered the age-old formula, some had developed their own. Some were open to sharing; some guarded their secrets with their lives. A creed then began to emerge – hazy, twinkling, here a moment and then gone! Neither virtuosos, nor novices, they appeared light-footed, hardworking, and bound together by the common thread – their madness.

Greenroom today focuses its searchlight on the new generation of the theatre world; passionate men and women who are going to redefine and lead the future of the Indian stage. They are trend setters who have arrived with a bang in the art world, and will keep on inspiring their generation next.

PRAVEEN KUMAR GUNJAN
Director and Designer

Gunjan’s creations are making statements at national and international arena. productions such as Macbeth, Andhayug, Hanush, Rashomon, Men without Shadow, Samjhouta, Camp, Nine Idiots, Ajat Ghar, Kal Kothri and The Dream of Gandhi have established this NSD alumnus as one of the challenging faces of contemporary Indian theatre.
Gunjan believes in walking ahead of time when it comes to vision, but sticks to present while picking up subjects for his productions. His desire to interact and communicate with people in various possible ways inspires him to stick to his passion. “I occasionally ask myself that in how many different ways can I talk to people around me about something that I feel needs some cautious address. I enjoy creating reality with others and discover platforms for further communications,” he says. The excitement of seeing his dad clad in mom’s saree while performing in a village play has stayed with Gunjan forever. His folk background and modern approach establishes Gunjan as a sensible face of the Indian theatre.

RANDHIR KUMAR
Director
Just like many other small-town boys, Randhir came to the culture hub, the capital city, to prove his potential and live his dreams. He even made it to the premiere theatre institute of India. But there is something which sets him apart from the other success stories of his time. He went back to his state to redefine his dreams.
“I wanted to work with my people, I wanted to belong to my soil. The support and love of my people inspires me to never give up,” he says. The focus of Randhir’s Patna-based group Raaga is to stimulate the section of people unexposed to the magic of stage. He is exploring the world of languages and dialects to carve out his own theatre language. He believes that the theatre must belong to its people for surviving in the global scenario. “Right now I am working in Champaran district and trying to collaborate with artists of Bhikhari Thakur’s group. Reaching to the roots and showcasing what belongs to the audience itslef in creative way is very exciting,” says Randhir.

CHANDRAHAS TIWARI
Director/Actor/Dramaturge and Teacher
He is a fighter and a survivor. Kidney transplant did not discourage Tiwari’s determination and passion for stage. After completing diploma in film acting from Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, he started a theatre group in Bhopal.
Tiwari’s focus is to establish theatre as an actor’s medium and explore the world of “performing text”. “Technical experiments can only surprise audiences but it can’t have a long lasting impact. My aim is to generate audience and create space for actors in the process of production. Ultimately its the medium of actors,” says Tiwari.
Tiwari wants to bring back the lost and forgotten texts of our civilisation.
“Right now, I am working on Jataka Kathayein. It is an enriching experience to dive deep into one of the most celebrated texts of the Indian literature,” says Tiwari.

Viren Basoya and Shilpi Marwaha are the most popular faces of the Delhi theatre today. From past few years, these two are consistently contributing to the world of stage. They surprise their audiences with the new level of perfection everytime they are on stage.
Basoya has a dream to shine brightly in the tinsel world, but he feels theatre will always remain his first love. It is the liveliness of theatre which acts as a magnetic field for Basoya.
“I have found new meanings of life while working with Asmita Theatre. Theatre taught me how to dream big. It is the most lively form of any human communication.”
His performances in Ambedkar Gandhi, Ansuni and Ek Mamooli Admi display Basoya’s upward moving graph of perfect acting.
Marwaha is called the face of campus theatre. She defines stage as her soul and characters she plays as her avtars. “Theatre has given me a reason to live on. I have discovered inner joy which can never be found anywhere else,” says Marwaha whose performance in Ramkali is still fresh in the memory of theatre buffs.

Anurupa Roy
Puppeteer

Though she does not come from the traditional family of the puppeteers, this kathputliwali is the new face of the puppet art. She formed Kat-katha in 1997, and since then it has grown in size and in volume of work and has showcased various full- fledged performances.
“My mom gifted me a puppet when I was a kid, since then I am playing and experimenting with them. The relationship between puppets and puppeteer fascinates me a lot,” says Roy.
Roy has evolved a financially-viable revenue model for the traditional art. She is focusing on developing an eco-system for puppeteers, so that the beginners do not have to start from zero.
“When I held puppet strings professionally, I was desperate to learn the techniques. The desire to show something new everytime requires a lot of exposure to innovative materials and designs. My focus is to establish puppetry as a well-defined medium for artistes. I want it to be a contemporary creative tool for awareness,” says Roy, who loves experimenting with materials and colours .

Natak Company
Theatre Group

They were a bunch of college-goers passionately moved by theatre. Two-three years back when they stepped out of their college, they did not have any banner to perform with. They formed Natak Company to relive their college days. But they are not just a group of enthusiasts: they are people who believe in their ideas and shows. In past two years they are leaving their mark at various national and international theatre festivals.
The unique thing about this group is its multi-talented members. They take their turns in direction, acting and management.