Published on Sat, 10 Aug 2013
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Arundhati Nag
An ardent promoter of theatre in India and a seasoned actress, Arundhati Nag is a well-known face on stage and the silver screen. She came into prominence with her vivacious role in R. Balki's Paa (2009) in which she played mother to actress Vidya Balan. Her performance bagged her the National Film Award for best supporting actress.
In theatre circles, Nag is also known as the woman behind Bangalore's prime theatre venue, Ranga Shankara. She set it up in 2004 after seven years of meticulous planning and fundraising. Nag received the Padma Shri in 2010 for her contribution to theatre.
Born in Delhi, Nag moved to Mumbai with her parents at the age of 10. She took to the stage in college and was picked for Hindi plays because of her fluency in the language.
Soon after, she got deeply involved with India People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and did several plays in Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi. It was only after getting married to fellow actor and Kannada movie superstar Shankar Nag that she moved to Bangalore.
Nag's life took a turn when she lost Shankar in a car accident in 1990. Gradually, she pulled herself together and after several years of struggle brought Ranga Shankara to life.
Recently, Nag joined the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), a central body that addresses viewer complaints regarding inappropriate content on television. Being proficient in Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi and English, Nag along with other board members will be instrumental in evaluating content-related complaints in these languages.
With some 45 years experience in theatre, today Nag is in the running for the post of director of the National School of Drama (NSD) for which a decision is yet to be taken by the Ministry of Culture.
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Arundhati Nag receives the Padma Shri from former President Pratibha Patil in 2010
Excerpts from an interview:
Q: What's your role at the BCCC?
Arundhati Nag: It's a great honour to be a part of the body that gives a voice to people's opinions regarding content on television. BCCC is trying to remind the broadcasters of their responsibilities regarding the content aired on television channels. If required, we will review the content in different languages and if the content is found to be objectionable then BCCC will direct the concerned channel to modify or withdraw it.
Q: You are in the running for the prestigious post of director NSD. Your comments...
AN: I was invited to apply and was interviewed by the selection committee. Apart from other two candidates also in the reckoning, my name was presented to the ministry in November 2012. It's been close to eight months now but I'm just as clueless as anybody else.
Q: If you were to take over as director of NSD how will you value-add to the theatre scene in India?
AN: First of all, I'll have to understand what the previous directors have done and what remains to be done. I've been in the theatre world for over four decades and have performed plays in different languages. So, I will be able to bring my experience in vernacular theatre to NSD.
Q: What has been Ranga Shankara's role in supporting theatrical performances?
AN: Ranga Shankara's aim is to offer an affordable space for theatrical performances. In fact, most of the productions from other cities are also coming to Ranga Shankara today because we charge as low as Rs 2,500 per day. We don't permit theatre groups to sell their tickets for over Rs 200.
Q: What are the challenges you face at Ranga Shankara today?
AN: Some challenges are inherent in the world of theatre. For instance, how do we get more people -- children and older people -- hooked to theatre? So, we are investing hugely in theatre for children so that they learn to appreciate theatre at a young age. We'd also love to hold workshops for older people.
Q: What is the highlight of this year's Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival?
AN: This year's theatre festival in October is going to be special since it will be a tribute to veteran actor and playwright Girish Karnad. We're inviting young directors to stage their interpretations of Karnad's plays for this festival.
Q: Will writing plays and directing them come next?
AN: There are a couple of short stories that have been revisiting me. So, perhaps in the years to come, you will see me in the role of writer and director.
