Sachin Jadhav is a Mumbai-based actor and director, who completed a two-year Master's program from the Academy of Theatre Arts, University of Mumbai in 2008. Since then, he has been performing theatre under the guidance of National School of Drama's (NSD) director, Waman Kendre. Some of the plays that he has been part of are VEDHPASHYA, directed by Kendra and KHEL by Milind Inamdar. He is also a professional singer and has lent his voice for several theatre productions.
After graduating and pursuing theatre in the city, Jadhav has been associated with the Salaam Bombay Trust since 2009, and teaches drama to the children there. His latest productions called GHERA - which is in mime- and PYAAR SACCHAA SABSE ACCHAA, opened at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival this year. We talk to him about his experience, and his work's long-term impact.
By Nishtha Juneja
Nishtha Juneja (NJ): You have been teaching theatre to the kids of Salaam Bombay since six years. Most of the kids come from the disadvantaged sections of the society. How do you go about introducing theatre to them? Sachin Jadhav (SJ): The kids at Salaam Bombay Trust come from various BMC-operated schools. All of them come from the slum areas of the city, and get free training in theatre. They haven't seen theatre in their entire life in any auditorium. It was a challenge to teach them how to go about it.
I start by talking about acting, and then move on to doing activities. These kids are about 11 to 12 years old when they start attending classes. For two months, I just talk to them about theatre and acting. Then I ask them about an incident that has happened to them. Once they narrate it, I ask them to act it out. When that happens, I improvise the scene with them. Hence, they understand acting.
After the initial couple of months, I take several workshops where I teach them movement techniques, speech modulation exercises and some stage presence techniques.
I think they learn to act really well because they have been, and are going through a lot of struggles and compromises in their life. Somehow, hardship brings out more emotions. They also have to do housework, help their parents and study at the same time. It brings about realism in their acting. We talk about our struggles in private; they do that on stage, with lots of emotion.
NJ: Theatre can also be used to develop a child's personality. What are some of the theatre games and activities that you conduct with the children? How has it helped in their overall growth? SJ: We, here at Salaam Bombay, not only teach theatre to the kids to make them better at acting, but the exercises also help them in numerous ways. They build communication skills; they learn how to work in a team; they become more disciplined, learn leadership skills, and all of it makes them more confident. It is not just acting, it is a lot more. And, I have seen them grow over the years.
One of the games that I like to play with them involves them running around the hall, and when I say 'statue', they have to strike a pose; be it a dance pose or a surprised face. This helps them with their expressions. Another game is where the kids dance while music is being played. I stop the music and say a number under ten, and they have to form a group. This helps them become comfortable with the opposite sex.
NJ: In your production, GHERA, which is a mime act, how have you introduced the form to the kids? Was it a satisfying experience? SJ: GHERA is an adaptation of German playwright Bertolt Brecht's play THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE. The story might be lifted from the book, but the interpretation and conceptualisation is entirely mine.
In the beginning I told them what was mime. We started with some exercises. Some of them were aimed at improving their body language; others helped them with their thinking processes. The children pick up fast and have a lot of energy. I did these exercises for about a week. They have very strong observation.
NJ: What have you learnt over the past six years while working with the kids? SJ: It has been a learning experience. The best part about teaching there is the fact that I can interpret stories according to my thinking. I can implement them according to the way I want to. Personally, I have grown as an actor and director.
But, the best experience came from the kids. They are very realistic in terms of acting, and I would go a step further and say that they have taught me realism. And in turn, have taught me theatre.
NJ: What has been the long-term impact of your work? SJ: The kids are under my tutelage for four years where I teach theatre and acting to them from scratch. From this year, we have started a program wherein we will select about twenty students from the last batch, and put them in a repertory program. They will undergo rigorous training in theatre and we will perform a full-fledged annual production every year.
There have been several students who have pursued theatre. They keep inviting me for their shows, and it feels great to watch them perform and grow.
*Nishtha Juneja likes to act and write about theatre. Nishtha Juneja is passionate about dance and food and has completed a post-graduate diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute for Communication (XIC).
