Tete-a-tete
Stage presence
Nonika Singh

Nearly three decades ago, he was a part of the crowd scene for a play Dhamak Nagade Di. Today, Amritsar-based theatre person Kewal Dhaliwal draws crowds for plays. As his group Manch Rangmanch is all set to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its inception this year, he jogs down the memory lane to recount his journey that has been more than momentous and fruitful.

With over 140 plays bearing his directorial signature, a dozen-odd books on theatre flowing from the ink in his pen (many of which are textbooks like Natrang, a collection of plays is included in the syllabus of Jammu University for MA Punjabi), Kewal has indeed come a long way from the days when he was a member of theatre titan Gursharan Singh’s group in the late seventies. For nearly a decade, he worked with Gursharan bhaji and imbibed a deep abiding commitment to theatre from the living institution, who has inspired many generations of theatre workers.

But beyond inspiration, Kewal also felt an urge to hone his art. Thus, the hallowed portals of the NSD beckoned in 1988. About his experience at the NSD, from where he specialised in direction and stagecraft, he says, "It opened new horizons, as I was exposed to the world drama, fine techniques, new concepts and theories."

Out of the NSD into the real world and Kewal squirms, "Translating the same professionalism on to Punjabi rangmanch was no cakewalk." But success greeted him with his very first play Maawan. It tasted sweeter for he shares, " Those were the days of terrorism, yet defying the call of a bandh, nearly 1500 persons turned up for the performance that instantly struck a chord." Loona established him further. Later, he won much acclaim for his play Birkah Arz Kare based on noted Punjabi poet Surjit Patar’s poetry. "Creating a play out of poetry alone", admits Kewal "is rather onerous`85 as there is no storyline so to say. But the visual possibility is tremendous, for poetry offers so many colours and images." Not just poetry, literature `BE be it novels, short stories`BEhas always fascinated Kewal. While in the past, he has worked on the creations of literary greats like Amrita Pritam, Dalip Kaur Tiwana et al, right now he is toying with creating a play on Nanak Singh’s short stories.

Says he, "Today, as human values are fast receding into the background, Nanak Singh’s simple stories imbued with humanism hold great relevance." In fact, Kewal lays much importance on theatre’s social purpose and ability to transform mindsets. So, even when he does an Umrao Jaan he brings in contemporary elements by talking of bar girls. He quips, "True theatre is a performing art and aesthetics gain credence, but a play must relate to people, especially of the region." Any wonder issues closer to people’s lives, like the plight of illegal immigrants, often surface in his plays such as Gadi Chadan Di Kaahl Badi Si. Having created a play out of Guru Gobind Singh’s Chandi Di Waar, he has also gained an expertise over religious plays and has over 25 such plays to his credit.

And one subject that recurs time and again in his plays is Partition. Reasons Kewal, " Perhaps, it is because I live in the border town or maybe I grew up listening to endless tales of the cataclysmic event but often my plays hark back to 1947." Only he doesn’t carry the excess baggage of angst or hatred of the bitter past in his plays. Rather he reinforces the need for rapprochement between the two neighbouring nations. Mending bridges has also meant close interface with Pakistan’s well-known theatre director Madeeha Gauhar, whose acclaimed play Bullah was first staged in Amritsar at Kewal’s initiative. Instrumental in putting Amritsar, which today boasts of nearly 25 odd groups, on the theatre map, he has also been busy organising the National Theatre Festival in Amritsar for last six years. On a personal note, this recipient of the Ford Foundation Fellowship has received many laurels like the Manohar Singh Simriti Puraskar by the National School of Drama, Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Shiromani Natakaar Award, et al. On being a playwright, too, apart from director and designer, he laughs, " I call myself natakghaad i.e. I sculpt plays."

As his work today is the subject of research of Ph. D students of three universities, he admits that along with adulation he had to face censure, too. More so, in the early years, when criticism was often directed at his directorial style. Detractors also told him point blank`BE oh, NSD alumnus. You will do theatre only for a few years and thereafter jump on to the bandwagon to Mumbai. But what his antagonists hadn’t reckoned was that Kewal is a prottégé of none other than the epitome of commitment, Gursharan Singh.

Taking immense pride in being his disciple Kewal gushes, "The man has ensured that dedication (for theatre) runs in our veins." Though he agrees that his theatre ideology is not dramatically different from his mentor’s ¾may be less direct and subtle—his dreams are different. "I want to see Punjabi theatre scale heights of professional excellence." Meanwhile, his personal odyssey continues to chart new frontiers.

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