Playwright Manav Kaul, who plays the male lead in Tumhari Sulu, is as passionate about theatre as he is about his films. He experiments with one and plays to the gallery in the other, knowing one is a labour of love and the other a love of comfort. He talks to Team Viva about how theatre needs to break boundaries and the gradual change in the portrayal of men in cinema
Noted theatreperson Manav Kaul, who has been experimenting with theatre to an extent that he believes the medium won’t grow until it is turned inside out, is a practical man. Much as he loves shuttling between cities for his new play Chuhal, he says his character roles in mainstream Hindi cinema have given him the dough to lead a good life. And the two media never collide because he knows the limits of each. In town to promote Tumhari Sulu, where he plays Vidya Balan’s husband, he never forgets to mention how he continues to be loyal to his play Chuhal. “Yesterday I was performing at a theatre festival in Hyderabad and have hardly got any sleep,” he tells us. Chuhal, dealing with two people who want to retain their individuality while forging a relationship, was staged at Old World Theatre Festival last year. Inspired by Charles Bukowski, Vinod Kumar Shukla, Franz Kafka and Nirmal Verma, Kaul was so particular about Chuhal that he changed the ending thrice till all cast members approved of it. That’s how precise he is.
After playing several characters in Kai Po Che and Wazir, how did you end up signing for the male lead in Tumhari SuluIJ
It was the director who thought I could do this because of the kind of onscreen characters I have played before (Kaul essayed a charismatic and fanatical right-wing politician in Kai Po Che! and in Wazir, he played off against Amitabh Bachchan as a murder suspect. A new film, Maroon, about an insomniac professor, will have a digital premiere). Normally, theatre actors get picked up for character roles but their malleability is what today’s filmmakers are banking upon. I gave my audition, they liked it and that is all there is to it. Vidya is such a fine actor, it was a treat to work with her. We just clicked on the day we met. I read the script and knew that everyone would connect with this film, thinking “this is us.”
What attracted you to the story, considering you are very demanding when it comes to the scripts of your playsIJ
First of all, we haven’t seen a Hrishikesh Mukherjee kind of film in a long time. People have reacted positively to the trailer and songs because the story is fresh and real. There is a positivity around the film and the trailer and songs are an extension of that. When I read the script, I called Suresh Triveni asking how he did it. Because it is very difficult to write about simplicity. Then I got to know him as a person and let me tell you he finds humour in the mundane bits of life. He laughs at small things. I told him that you are blessed and that worldview is very much required in today’s times.
The husband of Sulu seems indulgent and supportive, gentle and kind. As a male lead how does your character challenge stereotypesIJ
The best part about Ashok (Kaul’s character) is that he knows Sulu the best. So he never says no to her as he knows that there is huge entertainment involved in the task that she proposes. Sulu is filled with the attitude that she can do anything. They (Sulu and Ashok) dance together in the confines of their house which is very normal and middle class. Even after 12 years of marriage, this trust in and comfort with each other make them explore life. This is a reality with most regular couples I know and not some social discovery. Ashok doesn’t break any stereotype, he is just too real.
Even in mainstream commercial formats, the change is evident. In the good old days, songs were about hero chasing the heroine. Now there are no films in which the hero says, ‘you have to be mine,’ unless he is a negative or dark character. In today’s times, a man and woman have to be supportive about each other.
This is Sulu’s story and yet it gave me so much to bring to the table as Vidya took care of the rhythm of the film. My character is written very well, people will love it. Ashok is very much like my own brother. Initially, my brother was not happy with his wife working but now they have much more to talk about as they both fill in each other on their experiences. They support each other. Every relationship has to be balanced. The humour of the film is brought about by the housewife who creates drama, and the man who shares it.
What are the changes you would love to see in theatre as a playwright and directorIJ
I write experimental theatre and have never tried to earn money from it. I stage plays because I love writing. When I started doing plays, I knew there would be no money. So I didn’t complain as I had made a conscious choice. It pays you enough for a simple living but with experimental theatre, there are 50 per cent chances of failure and you have to take that risk. Commercial theatre is like doing a bad film and earning money from it. The point of doing theatre is that you can say and do things which you can never even imagine and that’s what I am interested in, have done and am still doing. I do films, theatre, write short stories and travel.
So I have no holistic idea about the theatre scenario. But I will say this, theatre has amazing talent. Young stars like Abhishek Majumdar are doing good work. I also think theatre needs to be pushed to another level as it’s a fluid form. People are not experimenting with theatre much, considering the digital and film media rule our consciousness. For example, there is an image-based theatre movement in Germany which is showcased through images. We can change the language of theatre but it’s not happening. One of my own plays, Park, can be staged in any park with three benches.
The digital platform has allowed for a confluence of various artistes across genres. What does it do for a creative artiste like youIJ
It allows me to assess talent and let me tell you some of it is so good that it encourages you to change your script. Every production house is searching for good scripts and the moment they see talent that can translate it onscreen, they go for it. There is a risk here — Everything you do on the internet better be good to get noticed. Eventually only the good will survive. So people are working hard wherever they are.
I love the entertainment industry because it is very brutal. If you are good (at your job), they will receive you with both hands. If not, they will tell you as it is. There is no illusion.
There is a perceived environment that seems to limit creativity. Your takeIJ
We are not approaching contentious issues in a right manner, afraid that something might go wrong. You are actually highlighting the oddities by banning films. Once you ban a film, there is too much unhealthy curiosity about it and it becomes an unnecessary talking point. India is such a diverse country that it can digest anything. And if a film is genuinely flawed, the audience can sink it noiselessly. Only the good films last in the end. So artistes should say things freely, there should be absolute freedom.