Director Raman Kumar tells Ayushi Sharma how the emergence of digital platforms has forced people to get out of their homes and enjoy more live performances
As they say, “short-cuts make long delays” and director Raman Kumar is its firm believer. He elaborates when he says, “There are no short-cuts in life, the simpler you live your life, the happier it will be. In life, most short-cuts end up taking much longer than actually taking the longer route.”
The director recently helmed a theatrical drama, Hello Zindagi, that revolves around five women of different backgrounds and characteristics. These women are played by actresses Minissha Lamba, Kishwer Merchant, Delnaz Irani, Guddi Maruti and Chitrashi Rawat, who live together in Mumbai. Raman explains the characters, “Pammi Singh (Minissha Lamba), is divorced and lives with Bakula (Delnaaz Irani), her ex mother-in-law. They are great buddies and live their life to the fullest. Shivani (Chitrashi Rawat), the sanest member of this mad house, who not only runs the house but also takes care of Bakula’s hotel business. Pammi’s school friend, Sheena (Kishwer Merchant) is another resident of the house, who was physically abused by her husband and now had completely lost her self confidence. Lastly, the household help, Bijoya Di (Guddi Maruti) is the most respected woman in the house.
The harmony in the home gets tangled in a web of mixed emotions when Vicky (Rahul Nayyar) enters the scene and falls in love with Pammi. He wants to marry her and take her to the US. Bakula decides to move with them too. The plot thickens when Bakula decides to give her business to a corporation on lease which is being organised by Vicky. What’s guaranteed is that these flaming personalities when thrown together in the cauldron of life turn up the heat leaving things more problematic and complex than ever.
Raman says that it is important to celebrate life rather than simply living it, and “the play advocates just that. Those five women living under one roof possess extremely disparate characteristics, and are from different strata of life, but humanity is something that keeps them united. I have tried to portray that God has made life beautiful, but it’s we who are the problem creators and this results in causing misery.”
Raman has been around for so many years, ask him how has theatre evolved over the years, he would say, “Theatre has changed a lot. Just as the advent of internet and digital platforms has transformed our lives, similarly people’s attitude of looking at the things have changed the theatre. It’s much more professional and it is no longer the platform for the amateur. With the emergence of various theatre groups, it is surely touching new heights.”
Raman strongly feels that in fact, the emergence of online channels and technology has been spoon-feeding people, and hence, theatre has become a means for them to come out of their houses and watch live performances on stage. “This has become a major reason why we see more of houseful shows nowadays,” he says.
While the director feels that the two media work in terms of people’s comfort and entertainment choices, actresses Delnaaz and Kishwer both feel that every medium has its own charm and as an artist, one should keep the good work going, whether it’s acting for theatres or for a film. “One should accept the work and do it honestly. Nowadays, online shows are showcasing a lot of bold content, however, one can find bold stories in theatre too. So both the media has its own place,” says Kishwer.
Raman explains that it takes a lot of hard work to transform a written play into a stage performance. He says, “Everyone has their part to play. The director is the captain but the crew’s contribution cannot be ignored. Especially, the actors’ as they are the medium to convey the script to the audience.”
The director says that he finds his inspiration from life stories. He says, “I read a lot. I am an observer. I look around and find inspiration in so many real stories. Reality is great art and the world around you, the greatest school. Interpreting life is more creative than doing a pure fiction. It’s goodness of those real stories around you that makes life beautiful and you feel like saying Hello Zindagi!”