(From top) Heeba Shah in performance; Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah stage Antigone

She has had a ringside view of the rise of Motley and her father’s theatre career from a very tender age. Now an active member of the Mumbai-based group, Heeba Shah is helping Naseeruddin Shah put together a nine-day festival (May 15 to 23) at Prithvi Theatre to mark Motley’s 30th birthday next year.

A t2 chat...

When did you get involved with theatre and Motley?

I was about nine when I would watch all the Motley plays and go to rehearsals. I remember laughing a lot every time I watched Waiting for Godot. I had no clue it was such a serious play. I heard Motley was started on July 29, 1979 by my father Naseeruddin Shah, Benjamin Gilani, Tom Alter, Roshan Taneja and Sameer Arya among others.

I don’t know who gave the name, probably my father, but it is very apt because that is what Motley has always been — a group of different kinds of people.

Which was the first Motley play you acted in?

That was when I was in school. I played a messenger in Motley’s Julius Caesar. My father was Brutus and Benjamin Gilani was Cassius. Akash Khurana was Caesar and Kitu Gidwani was Portia. We had about 25 shows, then father closed it because he said it had become “too commercial”. It was the most expensive Motley production with period costumes and a cast of 80-85.... Since then we have stuck to a cast of 15 and minimal props and costumes.

Where does Motley hold its rehearsals?

Well, the first readings — and we have them in plenty — have always been held in my father’s place. The large third-floor hall in the new house at 204 Sand Pebbles Perry Cross Road, Mumbai, is for rehearsals. Once the dialogue is okayed, we shift to Bhavan’s College for daily rehearsals from 5pm to 8pm. That’s when most people are free from their professional engagements.

What is it like having Naseeruddin Shah as theatre director?

As a director, he is greatly respected. He demands complete commitment and that’s what he gets. People who turn up late for other rehearsals never do so at Motley’s. The readings are wonderful because that’s when my father explains the roles and encourages us to think about them. He insists that we stick to the text because he says that writers put a great deal of thought into each word they write so if there is a “but” instead of an “and”, it is our duty to find out why and use it as the writer wanted it. He isn’t too strict and allows us ample time to correct ourselves before stepping in. He will go over and over the scenes until he is satisfied. He doesn’t yell but when he does, it is usually because he finds someone hasn’t given his best. And that one yell is enough to bring everyone back on track.

And how is he as a co-actor?

As an actor, he is just superb. He is funny, childish and bubbling with energy. He gives a lot of attention to detail, which is useful.

What’s the plan for the Motley celebrations this week?

There are two new plays, that is if you ignore the fact that each of the plays revived has changed a lot. Dear Liar, Manto Ismat Haazir Ho, Katha Collage Part 2, Ismat Aapa Ke Naam are no longer what they initially were. Even Antigone, which opened last November, has changed. Antigone is one new play since it has had very few shows. It stars Naseeruddin as Creon and Ratna Pathak as Antigone. I am again a messenger.

On May 23, there will be a new two-in-one play. The first half is in English; it has been developed from four short stories by Italio Calvino — Making Do, Conscious, Black Sheep and Good For Nothing. This last play is the one I act in. The plays are being presented by my brother Imad, Ankur Vikkal, Om Chaturdevi and me. We are calling them The Calvino Stories and they are directed by father.

The second half of the same show will be Kothri No. 42. The play is directed by Aruna Raje and has had just one show. It is based on Athol Fugard’s The Island and has two actors, Arvind Pandey and Viswajeet Pradhan.

What other projects are you working on?

Well, there are all these plays. We haven’t had such festivals before. I am also doing Dhadak, a film directed by R.S. Vikal, in which I play the lead.