Actor-director Lillete Dubey spoke to t2 from Mumbai on her latest directorial venture Gauhar, to be staged at GD Birla Sabhagar on April 5 and 6. A chat. 

How did Gauhar happen?
After doing plays like Boiled Beans On Toast, a Girish Karnad play on urban landscape, and 9 Parts of Desire, a play on survivors of the Iraq war, I wanted to do something different, with music in it. I had learnt classical music when I was very, very young, compelled of course by my father. My friend Mahesh Dattani suggested the story of Gauhar Jaan. And I loved it!

So what worked for you to choose the story?
• First, it was about a woman. That is always fascinating for me. I, of course, have a penchant for women who are achievers. I feel that as a woman, if I don’t do these stories then who will?

•It was about a woman who was the first Indian to sing on a record. She was a pioneer.

•It is a very modern play. If you look at all the issues she dealt with, you will see that they are what a very successful woman faces even today. Independent, successful and talented women have their own share of very peculiar and uniquely individual issues. Nothing has changed in so many years. 

•I chose her story because she is a feisty, individualistic woman. If you go through her anecdotes, you will realise how independent-minded she was. Take for instance, her choice of travelling in her own horse carriage even if that meant breaking rules and paying a fine of Rs 1,000 per day. She hardly repeated her clothes. She had thrown a party spending Rs 20,000! She lived life king size, blew up all her money. She was a character!

•And of course her music. Her music is sung by so many people. She has left us a rich musical legacy. But I have met many accomplished musicians who had not heard of her. I feel as a country, we don’t have a great sense of history. Her music was exquisite. She was a prodigy. I would say, without the drugs, she was like Amy Winehouse. She composed, she sang, she wrote at the age of 15. She was quite a remarkable talent.

•And so fearless! When all other artistes refused to sing a two-hour raga in two-and-a-half minutes stating that it was blasphemy, she took up the challenge. She was on postcards, on matchboxes... and we are not even aware of the debt that we owe her. 

 

The reaction so far?
Many people from the theatre and even the music world initially were dismissive about doing a play on an old thumri singer. The fact that we have done about 14 shows almost all of which were houseful shows is a validation for me that the audience is not a senseless bunch of people. They can appreciate good work.

The PrimeTime Theatre Company has completed 25 years. What’s the path forward?
The aim to start my own company was to do Indian work, original Indian writing in English. Dance Like a Man has completed more than 500 shows. My aim is to take Indian plays to the world. The company has been sustaining itself without donations. There are a couple of new things lined up. One is definitely a revival of one of my projects that stopped 18 years ago. It is a rock opera version of the Mahabharata, called Jaya, The Victory. It’s a mammoth production. Then there are smaller plays as well. 

What about films?
After The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I have been very busy shooting for Indian Summers, a television mini-series produced by Channel 4 and PBS. Then I had this theatre festival celebrating 25 years of our theatre company. Hindi films have less and less space for middle-aged female actors. The industry is very male-dominated. I just don’t want to play another mom. I need to do something interesting. Mother of the hero is fine but what am I doing as a hero’s mother — that’s my question. I am going to do a Hindi film soon. It’s a thriller. 

What: Master Minds Theatre and Weavers Studio present Gauhar, in association with t2

Where: GD Birla Sabhagar

When: April 5 and 6, 7pm onwards

The play: Inspired by Vikram Sampath’s book My Name is Gauhar Jaan, the latest production from The PrimeTime Theatre Company is written by Mahesh Dattani and directed by Lillete Dubey. Set to live music, Gauhar is in English with a smattering of Hindustani. The story tracks the life and times of thumri exponent Gauhar Jaan, who was also the first Indian to sing on a wax record.

The line-up: Rajeshwari Sachdev, Zila Khan, Denzil Smith, Anuj Gurwara, Danny Sura, Gillian Pinto and Parinaz Jal.
Organiser speak: “This play holds a very special place for our city as Gauhar Jaan had her roots in Calcutta. Gauhar Jaan’s story has all the ingredients for an exciting and dramatic script, which will appeal not just to music lovers but to the lay audience as well,” said Surekha Mimani of Master Minds Theatre.

Tickets: Priced at Rs 4,000, Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 1,500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 700; available on bookmyshow.com and at the venue (11am to 6pm).
 

Sibendu Das