Which is the last play you liked and why? NCPA production EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FAVOUR because of its imaginative use of sets (Though it could be done without the hanging lights which disturbs a lot), the use of Symphony Orchestra and of course the performances of all the actors, overall a spectacular production which of course only NCPA can afford to do.
Your favourite Adda to see a play... In Mumbai its only Prithvi Theatre even that has lost its charm to certain extent but even then its Prithvi Only.
Your favourite playwright... There are many favourite playwrights so to name only one is not fair.
Your favourite play-character... Arun Athawale in Vijay Tendulkar's KANYADAAN.
A play you would like to see filmed. Why? There are so many plays which I would like be filmed, like KANYADAAN and would imagine myself playing Arun Athawale.
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why? Again there are so many novels which can be done on stage and it's difficult to name any one.
The most hilarious play you have seen... In the recent times I don't remember any hilarious play i have seen, but as far as my memory goes back I still remember "SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS" Directed by Barry John long back in Delhi and of course Ank's HAI MERA DIL which has completed more than 1150 shows and still running to full houses.
A play, which is over-hyped... I guess no play is overhyped in the recent times, may be THE VAGINA MONOLOGUE is little over hyped.
An important play (but ignored): Ank did a play called MAHANIRVAN Written by Sh. Satish Alekar and directed by Sh. Dinesh Thakur which was a very important play.
A play character you would like to "dialogue" with... May be with KANYADAAN's Arun Athawale and JAAT HI POOCHCHO SADHU KI's Mahipat. I would also like to dialogue with Duryodhan.
A passage from an important play that you can recite... JAAT HI POOCHCHO SADHU KI.
A classical play that you should have read... So Many.
A play that changed your perception about the theatre... NSD's Repertory's ANDHA YUG Directed by Sh. M. K. Raina and Ashok Mishra's Mono Plays ATKE BHATKE LATKE SUR.
How do you regard the Mumbai/Indian theatre scene? It is very Vibrant and i guess most vibrant as compared to other cities, so many new venues have come up (Of course with a lot of constraints), new generation is doing so much experiments with regard to writing, direction, designing all.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting? Recently i have not read anything regarding theatre.
Can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous during your theatre journey? In my theatre journey of around 30 years now there are hundreds of events which could be insightful, significant and humorous that i could possibly write a book on them like meeting with an accident just before the show, loss of my mother just two days before the show, forgetting the line during performance, fracturing of my leg some days before the shows, fight with the director and co-actor and so on...
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why? I was amused to see Romeo Juliet in Globe theatre London and even more amused to see Indian actor Harish Patel on the stage. Watching a play in Globe Theatre was like a dream coming to be true.
Your favourite director/actor/music or set designer... All directors are my favourite so it is unfair to name only one. I have always been able to have to good rapport with every director otherwise, I believe, you can never work together and get the desired result.
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed... Not in Recent times.
Life in the theatre without the humble batata-wada or the cutting chai... or can you recall the best gastronomic experience you've had in the precincts of the theatre to date? No theatre can exist without Wada-Pav, Samosa-Pav, Banana with Bread for the lunch, Samosa with Bread, Street Tea with a lot of Sugar, Tea & cigarette and of course an adda for all these, which I always miss in Mumbai, we don't have any such adda here in Mumbai. If you want to enjoy adda culture in theatre you should go to small cities like Jabalpur, Bhopal, Bikaner, Ujjain, Jaipur.
Aman Gupta Theatre Speak
