New Delhi: One recent rainy evening in Delhi, a group of writers, activists, theatre activists and well-wishers gathered together in a city hotel to support a movement to bring back exiled painter Maqbool Fida Husain.
The event was marked by the launch of an electronic book based on text by the painter and illustrated with his paintings that have been converted into animation.
A theatrical presentation - `MF Husain- Untitled` based on the exerpts from the e-book of the same name, incorporating little known details of the 94-year-old artist, was enacted on a stage that had a plain white canvas as backdrop.
Directed by Tanveer Akthar with music by Sitaram Singh, the pivot of the short play is Husain`s 41 page e-text autobiography published by Kamna Prasad, editor-publisher Jiya
Prakashan.
"We had earlier staged a play adapted from his autobiography, `MF Husain ki Kahani Apni Zubani` in Patna.
This time it was different. We tried to read the emotion behind the text written by Husain," Akthar told reporters after the
performance.
The cast of the play included students from National School of Drama (NSD) and the Indian Peoples` Theatre Association (IPTA).
The drama weaves through the life of Maqbool who lost his mother when he was an eightenn month old baby and who grew up playing in the gullies of Indore and did his studies in Baroda.
Husain`s storytelling reminisces about the boy Maqbool who is often found reminding the artist about things past and future. The drama interweaves versions by both of them. Also certain parts of the drama has a narrator unravelling the story of the artist.
"It is a challenge for the actor to capture the interest of the audience without a story. We have attempted not to show any drama but capture the texture of the drama. We have also tried to use the same props that is used as part of the text in his ebook. We have used the flute, saris, the lantern, the wooden brushes,etc" says Akthar.
The book reading in the theatrical form ends with the entire cast and crew leaving a literal impression on a blank canvas.
"At the end of the play, all of us individually dip our hands in the pot of paint and mark the canvas with handprints. This is to represent our personal impression that a painter`s journey should not be stopped anywhere and must keep on traveling," says the director.
Akthar says the theatrical presentation may in the coming months be staged elsewhere in the country too.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.