Patna, Oct. 12: Suman Kumar, Tanvir Akhtar and Ajit Ganguly have two things in common. One, their passion for theatre and two, their inability to pursue the passion as profession because plays don’t mint money.

The three, however, still have a dream in their eyes — they want opportunities and support for all budding theatre artistes of the state so that they can excel on stage and make money at the same time. For this, they have recently floated a platform called Bihar Kalakar Manch. The aim is to raise the artistes’ concerns and securing government benefits for them.

Kumar, 64, has been associated with the stage since 1967 and floated Kala Jagaran Drama Society in 1992. Despite directing a number of plays, he had to eke out his living by working with All India Radio, Patna, from where he retired as the chief announcer in 2007. “I had to work in the morning shift. This helped as I was free in the evening for theatre,” he said.

On the other hand, Akhtar, 55, has been with the Indian People’s Theatre Association since 1978. He is the secretary of the association’s national committee and general secretary of its Bihar chapter, which runs around 30 performing units across the state. But when it comes to earning, he depends on managing events. “My expertise in music, costumes, set designing and lights arrangements help me manage exhibitions, shows and other events,” he said.

Ganguly, 71, has been with the Bihar Art Theatre since 1964 and is its additional secretary. He is also the director of Bihar Institute of Dramatics, which runs a two-year drama course, and Bihar Street Theatre Academy and Repertoire, which runs a six-month course on nukkad natak (street play). The Bihar Art Theatre is the parent body of the two institutes, as well as Kalidas Rangalaya, from where the schools operate. Like Kumar and Akhtar, Ganguly continued to be an amateur on stage and worked with an organisation manufacturing agricultural products. “There would have been no money in my life without the job,” he said.

The three veterans and artistes of 25 drama groups in the city are associated with Bihar Kalakar Manch and believe that they can raise a voice to get government benefits.