“ In my experience, Theatre can improve confidence, self-esteem and inspire creativity.” – Aarushi Thakur, Theatre Director

We all love to act. Becoming a character, enunciating dialogues, and working together with a creative team to send across a message. It is entertaining as well as an enlightening venture. That is the charm of Theatre. There was a time when women were forbidden to act in theatre. So much so, female roles were played by men as due to severe societal pressure, women were deterred to take up theatre as a profession. Today, there has been a sea-change when it comes women and theatre, as more and more women can be seen participating and coming forward to join performing arts. A welcome change indeed. In order to trace the status of women in theatre with reference to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the article will in series interact with the artists of this field. The objective will be to highlight the painstaking efforts made by theatre artists to provide opportunity to the masses and through theatre highlight the rich narratives, tales and histories of the state.

In the first article of the series, it was a great privilege to interact with Jammu’s own Director and artist Aarushi Thakur. She has worked in more than ten plays as a child artist and has participated in various national festivals organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi and National School Of Drama. She has acted in major nationally acclaimed productions like Ghumayee, Bawajitto, and Richard III. Aarushi has established herself as a theatre director to reckon with by adapting and directing a full length play based on Charles Dickens Classic, “Great Expectations”. To add more, she has directed another major play based on the Japanese stories by Akira Kurosawa, Roshomon. Further, she has written, designed and directed ‘Henry & Anne’, a play based on the life of Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn. It is worthy to note that Aarushi is the daughter of Balwant Thakaur, who is the renowned and well-acclaimed Director credited for spearheading Jammu’s Theatre & Performing Arts Institution called Natrang. It is again laudable to note that Aarushi has carved her own niche in the field and continues to raise the bar by highlighting and providing prospects to the upcoming artists and theatre-lovers. In the following interview, the concern has been to realize the dynamic significance of theatre, how women can pursue it and lastly what are the targets Aarushi Thakur intends to achieve in this creative enterprise.

What is the status of women in theatre vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir? I think the status of women is very different in comparison to men. It is clearly evident there exists a gender bias with regards to female participation in theatre. Potentially due to the dated but prevalent view which confines women to the role of a housemaker. In Natrang we proudly disassemble stereotypical views and encourage female involvement in theatrical productions. We do so by providing a safe and healthy, female friendly working environment. So initially it is about the ambiance that a theatre group provides which encourages more and more women to join. And then it’s about the characters we play on stage which further help eradicate the bias. As a director, I never discriminate, for me an actor is an actor, irrespective of their gender. I have had men playing women in my plays and women playing men. Men make tea and wash utensils in Natrang and women do technical work and vice versa because I have always believed in and endorsed gender equality. It is normal. It would be rather primitive for Natrang as an organisation to think any different, we work as a team and divide work according to the ability of the person not their gender.

What can be done to promote participation of women in theatre? Can you tell the interested masses of how they can pursue it? Initially I believe there needs to be a greater acknowledgement of theatre only then can we influence the mind-sets of individuals who feel the stage is not meant for women. Female participation can be evoked via numerous methods, but I genuinely believe theatre itself is the single best promoter. Unlike the male-centric movie industry, theatre often exhibits narratives which highlight issues associated with women and projects females with grave importance. More specifically by establishing training teams at acting academies will only attract more women, inducing a snowballing effect which will eventually lead to our society recognising theatre as a boon. We should encourage our daughters, sisters and friends to open up to this opportunity. I would rather say that it’s better to go out and polish your talent than regret it in later years of your life as a missed opportunity.

What prompted you to take up this creative yet challenging area? Can you share your experiences? I am not sure what prompted me to take up theatre as my profession but as long as I can remember, it has been a part…