‘Dream a little bigger’: Shernaz Patel

For theatre lovers, any initiative that brings to them the best of stage productions is always a reason to celebrate. For five years now, Aadyam, the theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group, has managed to not only create an identity of its own, it’s also become one of the most talked-about arts projects in the city as well as in the capital. Mention this to Shernaz Patel, Artistic Director of Aadyam, and her face breaks out in a happy grin. Over a cup of hot masala chai, with the rains coming down in sheets outside, she tells us about the plans for the upcoming fifth season that kicks off on July 20 with the first of the four plays, Nadir Khan’s A Few Good Men. Over to Shernaz...

What can we expect from the fifth season of Aadyam? 

The focus has always been to look for good stories which are told well in the hands of people who will tell them well. Even last year, I was very happy with the mix of plays. It just happened that four distinct stories fell in place. And it’s instinctively happening again this year. We have a little more literary content, traversing different worlds. Not all are Indian but there is enough Indian content. Two plays are in Hindi and two in English. They are very different stories — drama, comedy, thriller. I’m happy with the line up. 

Do you feel that in these five years, you have managed to achieve what you set out to do?  

I think we are getting there. The fact that many new audiences are coming in, is a huge achievement. That’s what we set out to do — bring people in to watch theatre and once they come to watch, hopefully, get hooked for life. I think that’s happening in a solid way. Even in terms of providing opportunities for the theatre community. There is financial support so they can dream a little bigger. It’s a great time for people into design. We can do big cast plays which we couldn’t earlier. 

Rehearsals of A Few Good Men

Are there any concerns when it comes to theatre? 

I just feel we need more talent, in terms of directors, costume designers, set designers, light designers etc. There are a lot of people who are doing fringe work, or those who work in smaller spaces. Maybe they don’t find the courage to move big or to say it’s not either/or. To think that they can do something big and something small. That’s one thing where one needs to nurture and grow. It’s an open call to anybody to apply. A lot of people think that if it’s a thousand-seater theatre, you’re selling out. But there is nothing wrong in us saying that we are making a living, that we are creating something, we are talented and we should get paid for this. We short-change ourselves.  

The fact that a lot of people are interested in knowing what plays are happening the minute Aadyam’s next season is announced must be a happy thought...

I like that it’s not a festival. It’s spread through the year and every few months you get surprised by something. Whether the show has been fantastic or not so great, there is a whole crowd that now comes for it. People believe that when you go and see an Aadyam show, it will be a good show (smiles).