'Facts' about Bhojpuri theatre

Indian theatre is a misnomer. With diverse rural and folk traditions, it would perhaps be safer to say that there are 'theatres' in 'India'. It is fitting, then, that the 2014 edition of the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award (META) — that concluded last week — kicked off in the capital with a play by The Fact Rangmandal troupe from the small city of Begusarai in Bihar.
Gabarghichor, the 90-minute play in chaste Bhojpuri and a smattering of Hindi, centres on a woman abandoned by her husband, who migrates to the city for work after marriage only to return after 15 years. The woman has, in the meantime, entered into a relationship with a man who gives her a son — Gabarghichor. Both men remain unaware of the boy and return to claim custody rights when he turns 15. They see in him an opportunity to earn money by exploiting his potential. Thus, begins a battle of paternity rights between the biological and legal father, a fight that ignores the mother, the woman who has raised Gabarghichor so far.

The original script of the play was written by Bhikhari Thakur, popularly known as the Shakespeare of Bhojpuri literature. Thakur was born in a barber's family in 1887 and was illiterate. His literary works and songs, however, remain relevant till this day in Bihar and indeed the rest of the Hindi heartland.

According to Praveen Kumar Gunjan, the director of the play and founder of The Fact Rangmandal, the play is about a woman's revolt for power and her right. "Being born into a lower caste, Thakur saw and voiced all the injustice he saw around him. The theme is relevant even today across India, especially in middle-class homes. What can we achieve from women's reservation when we don't give women the right to make their own decisions?" says Praveen.

A graduate of the National School of Drama, Praveen returned to his hometown, Begusarai, after completing the course. While Bollywood and the television industry were obvious choices for his classmates, Praveen was always inclined towards theatre. The Fact Rangmandal has about 25 artistes currently comprising college students and professionals. They may not be as technically sound as theatre-wallas of Delhi or Mumbai, he says, but their raw energy is enough to create magic on stage. And while the "pass" culture dominates most of the theatre scene in big metros, Praveen keeps only ticketed shows in Begusarai.

"We organise an annual theatre festival in the city for a packed audience. Everyone pays and watches all the plays." It is important, he says, that the audience begins to respect theatre artistes and pays a nominal fee for their craft. That would go a long way in making theatre sustainable.

While Bollywood has done its bit to popularise Bhojpuri songs and present Bihar's culture in recent films, Praveen remains unimpressed. "People aren't very happy with the fact that some of our local songs are presented as item numbers in films. It makes economic sense for Bollywood to cater to the Hindi belt, but it should be careful about showing our culture in the right context," he says.