File picture of Prastuti Parashar

Guwahati, June 1: Mobile theatre, the single largest entertainment sector in Assam, is hunting for fresh faces, as stars from the film industry are no longer affordable given their high fees.

The Bhramyoman Theatre Xurakshya Xamiti (Mobile Theatre Protection Committee), a forum formed by nine leading mobile theatre groups in the state, has taken the initiative to replace popular film stars with new faces in the hope of bringing down expenditure and, thereby, the cost of theatre tickets.

The new faces will be seen on mobile theatre stages only from the next season (2014-15) as the theatre groups have already made agreements with film stars for this season, rehearsals for which will start next month.

Promising a minimum pay of Rs 3 lakh to a new face for a season, which comprises nine months from the day of rehearsal to the last day of performance, the committee has advertised for bio-data of willing candidates. The maximum fee for new artistes, however, has not been decided yet. It will be finalised in a meeting on June 7.

“The fees of film actors have increased in a way that it is impossible for us to bear. To pay them we have to charge more which will ultimately lead to increase in the price of tickets,” Kankan Hazarika from Hengul Theatre said.

Hazarika said they were taking a “risk” by deciding to replace experienced and popular film stars with new faces at a time when the state’s audience has become accustomed to seeing their favourite heroes and heroines of silver screen on the mobile theatre stage. “If we succeed, it will be good for mobile theatre,” he added.

Selected experts will choose the lead pair for each of the nine mobile theatre groups that comprise the committee. The groups are Kohinoor, Abahon, Bhagyadevi, Hengul, Bordoisila, Ashirbaad, Rajtilak, Itihas and Brindabon. Although the state has around 60 mobile theatre groups, these nine theatre groups mainly use film stars.

Krishna Roy of Abahon Theatre said the initiative would give new actors an opportunity to showcase their talent. “This will give new faces an opportunity to come to mobile theatre. It will create new talent and help resolve the crisis producers of mobile theatre groups face because of the increasing fees of film stars,” he added.

There are reports that film stars in Assam charge anything between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh for a season in mobile theatre.

However, there has been a rush among producers to sign leading actors for their theatre groups as they attract audience to the theatres, over and above the content and message of a play.