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THEATRE TODAY

"Theatre should be treated as an industry"

-- Ashish Khandakar, actor-director, Space and Acting Research Centre

Jamil Mahmud
Though local theatre functions as an industry, fund constraints are a hindrance, says Ashish Khandakar, actor and director of Space and Acting Research Centre. Khandakar also expresses the view that achievements in theatre over the last four decades have been major.
“May be, over the past four decades we have followed a certain trend of theatre practice, but it has not been frustrating. Perhaps, we need another two or three generations to fulfil our goals, and reach our desired destination,” he says.
“Bangladeshi theatre needs to become commercially profitable, such as TV plays and films. But we have to be careful not to distort the high artistic and aesthetic values of the medium,” he adds.
Khandakar started his journey in theatre during the 1980s. He went to India for higher studies and subsequently enrolled at the National School of Drama (NSD) in 1986. After graduation, her returned to Bangladesh in 1991 and started practicing 'environmental theatre', then a new concept in Dhaka the theatre scenario.
Along with environmental theatre, he also emphasised the need to practice space thea“After returning home, I wanted to do something new. Initially I started with installations, through which I wanted to explore spaces. Historical spaces were my initial priority,” says Khandakar.
"It is something like dramatising the history-based story of a certain place, for instance the Bardhaman House of Bangla Academy, using that particular place as the stage. In recent times, this concept has been used in painting, films and documentaries and in corporate events,” he adds.
However, like many dreamers, Khadakar's hopes regarding environmental theatre could not last long. Lack of necessary support from different comers forced him to think of alternative options for survival.
At present he continues to exercise this concept of environmental theatre at his school of theatre for children that he runs on Fridays at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka. Along with many other plays, his 2005 production "Aladdin” (for children) is a successful implementation of the concept.
The concept is also apparent in Khandakar's latest directorial work “Rother Roshi" (produced by Natyadhara). After keeping the original Tagore text intact, Khandakar experimented with the space. Instead of setting the story at a common location, he chooses to set it in a place of historic importance.
He sees theatre's appeal as a bio-art as strong as ever.
"The socio-economic context has a great influence over arts and culture. It is true that the value of our arts and culture will be measured by our social and economical situation,” he says.
"Raja Pratapaditya” (produced by Bibartan, Jessore), Hamlet O Hamlet" (Natyadhara) and "Look Back in Anger” (Space and Acting Research Centre) are some of Khandakar’s successful directorial works.