Giving Dogri theatre a distinct identity

“Jis din se chala hoon meri manzil pe nazar hai,

Aankhon ne kabhi meel ka patthar nahin dekha” — Bashir Badr

Few theatre personalities from North India have captivated art lovers as profoundly as the enigmatic Balwant Thakur. A pioneer in Dogri dramas, he has transformed the art form, taking it from village performances to the global stage. Honoured with the Padma Shri, besides numerous national and international awards, Thakur remains dedicated to preserving Dogri culture and mentoring young talent through his Natrang Cultural Centre, which he founded in Jammu in 1983.

His latest work, ‘Mata Ki Kahani’, dramatising the legend of Mata Vaishno Devi, has performances by 105 artistes. It opened to a packed house in Katra, with 27 back-to-back shows lined up, claims Thakur, adding that four live shows would be presented at global stages.

Born in 1960, Thakur says, “After completing my law degree, my parents wanted me to pursue law or politics, but my heart was set on theatre. It was a tough choice, as the Hurriyat had banned all such activities, forcing us to perform in remote rural areas for years before we could return to the urban stage.”

With his innovative productions, he gave Dogri theatre a distinct identity. Honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Theatre Direction, Thakur’s visual poetics have been exemplified in plays like ‘Ghumayee’, ‘Bawa Jitto’, ‘Suno Eh Kahani’, ‘Chauraha’, ‘Mata Ki Kahani’, and ‘Mahabhoj’, which have invigorated the theatre scene in North India.

‘Ghumayee’, which is based on the Dogri folk legend ‘Lahra Lahri Da Dhak’ (A Hillock of the Bride and Groom), remains the pinnacle of his artistic brilliance. Written, designed and directed by him, the play tells the poignant tale of a bride who, during an arduous journey to her in-laws’ home, requests for water. Her plea is dismissed by all, except a sympathetic young man. In exchange for water, the groom recklessly bets away his bride to the man. The man succeeds in his quest, but dies from exhaustion. Touched by his selfless love, the bride declares herself his widow and refuses to continue the journey to her in-laws’ house.

Thakur assimilates theatre techniques with folk forms like Geetru, Karkan and Haran. Having staged more than 100 performances of Dogri plays at prestigious festivals, Thakur has taken Dogri culture to global audiences. Through Natrang, he has played a key role in rejuvenating the cultural landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. A recepient of the Ford Foundation grant, Thakur’s productions like ‘Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai’, ‘Aap Hamare Hain Kaun’, ‘Hum Hain Naa’ and ‘Bhag Beta Bhag’ have been some of the most sought-after children’s plays in theatre events across the country.

Thakur has penned 27 original plays, including ‘Ghumayee’. His initiative, Theatre for a Social Change, has organised 500 performances in remote villages of J&K. As a filmmaker, he has directed ‘Iss Graan Gi Swarg Banai Lo’, ‘Kashmir Live’, ‘Rangla Jammu’ and ‘Gulaab Gatha’. One of his most significant contributions has been to use theatre to foster peace in Kashmir, producing 60 plays aimed at restoring community life in conflict-ridden areas. Thakur was conferred with J&K’s highest State Award for Lifetime Achievement (2017), Prithvi Raj Kapoor Samman (2017), BV Karanth Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement (2018) and Gandhi@150 award by the Indian Associations of South Africa.

On theatre’s role in societal welfare, Thakur believes it must actively engage in social dialogue. “Theatre should address pressing societal issues through meaningful performances. My plays ‘Suno Eh Kahani’, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’ and others have left a didactic impact on audiences. At the same time, my theatre is about preserving and promoting Dogri language and culture,” he asserts.

“I am focused on grooming young talent, catching them early to transform theatre into a mass movement,” he says.

— The writer is a freelance contributor

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