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A man of many seasons and many talents, Kamal Tewari’s long presence in the City Beautiful often eclipses his long list of achievements and accomplishments. More often than not, his role as an organiser, first as an additional director, Department of Cultural Affairs, Haryana, and today as chairperson, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi overshadows his creative self. But the actor-singer-musician and patron of art and culture sees no contradiction in his varied roles, which meet seamlessly. For him acting in movies like Jab We Met, Onkara and now Pankaj Kapoor’s Mausam or creating music for plays or telefilms is as fulfilling as it is to organise cultural events. So, while he is proud of his music for M. K. Raina’s play Parai Kukh, based on Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle, becoming part of Brecht’s museum in Germany, he dubs creating a performance for the opening ceremony of Asiad involving 300 Harayanvi girls as "truly gratifying." He goes down the memory
lane and reminisces "To be able to convince parents maari chhori
na naache and receive their Not that awards have eluded him. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Haryana Kala Rattan, Haryana Gaurav Samman, Balraj Sahni Award.... it has been a glorious innings. Most people find government jobs stifling and energy sapping. How did his creativity bloom amid the regular office job? For one, he credits his department for giving him full freedom to flex his creative muscles and allowing him the liberty to initiate many firsts like the Teej Festival in Haryana, introducing the cultural segment at the Suraj Kund Crafts Mela and the Martial Arts Museum. Of course, there were moments that tested his patience, long years of wait before proposals like the Multi Art Culture Complex at Kurukshetra took shape. Though he believes in excelling in whatever responsibility destiny ordains, he does admit that belonging to a family in which his grandfather knew 14 languages where his father never stopped him from pursuing his interests did shape the artiste in him. That he was a born artiste there is little doubt. At age four he began learning music `85 a little older and he was winning all music competitions. And it was to make sure that prodigious talent like his doesn’t go waste that the late Govardhan Lal Bakshi, then DPI and principal of the Government College for Men, Sector 11, Chandigarh, introduced music for boys at the college. Interestingly, after graduating in music he moved towards attaining a master’s degree in ancient history, archaeology and culture. Bitten by the acting bug (at one point he even acted in a Ramlila) he joined the Department of Indian Theatre at Panjab University. Punjab’s drama repertory company, NSD repertory he has tasted it all. Besides his music has embellished significant telefilms like Parsa, based on Jnanpith awardee Gurdial Singh’s novel, and over 70 plays, including much-acclaimed productions like Rani Jinda, Karmanwali, Muwaze, Agra Bazar and Mein Taan Ek Sarangi Haan. Having worked with the best of theatre directors, right from Ebrahim Alkazi to Amal Allana to Ram Gopal Bajaj to Bansi Kaul, he agrees that theatre music is an altogether different genre. "If it is a historical play," he says, "one has to be conscious of music styles of that period and the musical instruments prevalent then." All in all, he professes that one has to understand the script thoroughly and ensure that music doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb. The role of music in theatre, he feels, hasn’t diminished one bit. Though the last play for which he created music was Himmat Mai, he continues to get requests and feelers from a host of theatre directors and might give his consent for some proposals in the pipeline. He is not only choosy but also takes his role as chairperson of the akademi very seriously. Says he: "In the absence of a well-defined cultural policy in the country, making art and culture relevant to the people is as important and no less adrenaline pumping than a performance." Right now, he is busy taking theatre to villages for he believes "Their problems and concerns can be addressed through theatre. In cities, the urban audience is already aware." Any regrets that he could have scaled greater heights, become the best singer in the country or even a popular film actor? Suddenly, yet another facet of his persona --- the poet---surfaces. He muses poetically, "Hum jungli phool hain, gamlon mein nahi khilte, hum se na uljhana ai pagal hawa, hum bikhrerenge to bhi khusboo chod jaayenge`85." Thus refusing to be confined or hemmed in one particular stream, traversing different frontiers he makes his mark in all and continues to spread the fragrance of his creative energy.
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