Devika Kamath's odyssey in the theatre world

By Dilshan Boange

Young Indian actress Devika Kamath brought to life the character of Draupadi of the Mahabharata in her solo performance on April 1. It was part of the second Colombo International Theatre Festival (CIFT) for which the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) was the official print media partner. In this interview conducted via email Devika reveals her world of theatre and drama to Montage.

Excerpts:

Question: What sort of exposure about professional theatre, in terms of theory and practice, did you get in your course syllabi at FLAME School?

Davika Kamath as Draupadi in Mahabharat

Answer: In terms of theory we were introduced to professional theatre of different regions of India to begin with and later moved on to studying theatre from different parts of the world. The base of it was to study the culture of different communities and the kind of work they do and how it developed and how various forms of theatre have been pulled into a setting for the urban audiences. From folk to commercial to street and others, we have dipped into many forms. In the limited free time that we had we were also taken for field visits to see the different spaces and performances around Pune.

Video footage was a helpful aid. From the time theatre began to what it is now and how it has evolved has been a part of our education. We definitely focused on our own forms from its roots to revival. In terms of practice Prof. Prasad Vanarase directed a Bhojpuri play, Ladi Najariya by Abhiram Bhadkamkar. We have taken this play to over 15 places in India, performing at various festivals. Another play, Cafila was performed in Romania and at CIFT. These theatre festivals gave us a chance to watch plays from different parts of the world in different languages which expanded our horizons.

Q: The solo performances that went on the boards as part of the second Colombo International Theatre Festival (CIFT) were originally developed as your final year thesis projects at FLAME School. Can you give some insight and background about how the characters were chosen and how these projects were developed?

A: When we were told about our course of 'Acting Solo', we were not told that we would be writing our own scripts. When the time came for us to work on our projects we were given the option to choose any character from either the Mahabharat or the Ramayan. I was inspired by Draupadi's resilience. The strength of character that she portrays, given all the hardships she endures was something I felt compelled to write about. Having been part of the Indian society I observed the improvement in public perception of the role of women. Nonetheless, the stereotypical idea of a woman's role in a man's life still persists.

A person might believe in equal rights for women when talking about the idea in general or referring to a third person, but they don't necessarily apply all these beliefs to the women in their lives. I required a strong, rounded character that would help me utilise my education to the fullest. I felt that Draupadi's character had the potential to do this. I read a few books about her. Then, created a new piece that combined different views about Draupadi, actual occurrences from the Mahabharat, and my personal opinions. My objective was to pose a question to the audience : Can a woman's dignity be toyed with in the name of honour?

Conscious element

Q: What do you feel about making your performances part of CIFT this year? Did the Sri Lankan factor become a conscious element to how you thought of your performance here and how it will connect with an audience outside India?

A: The absence of another country's group gave me the opportunity to perform this piece. It came as a shock to me as I had two days' notice before the performance. Nevertheless, it helped me improve my piece. In CIFT every show is performed twice with the gap of one hour. During the break I was asked by my professor if I wanted to experiment with my piece by adding music to it and I spontaneously agreed because I believed in his abilities. It was a success and had a great impact on my piece. It gave the missing element making it more wholesome. The second time the essence of my piece was brought out a greater deal.

The Mahabharat is an epic known to every Indian, just like the Ramayan is to Sri Lankans. This being said, not many people were familiar with the character that I was trying to portray. Although, what did come across to a few at least, is the general idea of women and their relationships and rights in a society such as ours. If I were to perform in another foreign country I would have to draw upon many perspectives and ideas more common to people because naturally most people may be clueless as to who Draupadi is. I would probably have to reset it to a modern environment to engage my audience. Then, I think it would be a piece many would be interested in but then again could also become controversial.

I would like to thank the absentees! They and Safeer were the ones who gave me the opportunity to perform to a wonderful audience. It is a completely different experience to perform in a place where there are many different languages. It is more challenging to put forth your argument. Overall, it was a wonderful chance and I enjoyed performing in CIFT and look forward to come there as an individual artiste in the coming years in this festival.

Potential

Q: How much potential do projects developed by students as part of the study course while in school have in the larger context of professional theatre? For example, do you see your respective acts as scripts that can be developed into individual shows that can meet the demands of a professional theatre circuit?

A: I feel there could be potential in any student project as long as it consists something relevant to a community, period, or issue that your viewers are aware of. Then again, there are many projects, I'm sure, that may be a little different from the common ideologies of the public. Unlike the cinema whose purpose is to entertain and communicate a message, I believe the purpose of theatre consists more of the latter than anything else. Theatre is a medium of expressing issues that may not always be communicated verbally.

Secondly, since theatre is performed live I see absolutely no scope to make mistakes. There is no question of a 're-take'. Thus, projects like mine if developed to that level of perfection and which make justifiable arguments will surely have the potential to be a part of what we call 'professional' theatre.

If I had to talk about my piece specifically then I would like to strengthen it in terms of the original facts from the epic and what I have added as my perceptions. This is because my piece is capable of attracting a controversy since I have emphasised on my opinion of the place of women and how men treat them. So if I were to take it to a larger audience I would need to have a strong ground to give my piece the justice it requires.

Q: What made you choose drama and theatre as your stream of higher studies, and as thespians what do you envision as your career goals?

A: Theatre has been a growing passion since I was a little child. My grandfather, Doulat Mutkekar from Belgaum, was deeply involved in Marathi theatre. I give him all the credit to leading me in this direction. That was where my interest had started.

Once I finished high school I was certain that I am not a student of business or any sciences.

It was my luck that there were no objections from my family for me to get into this field of education. I absolutely love acting and would take any opportunity to pursue it in my future. Many people whom I know have joined theatre to make a difference in the world or to communicate messages to the real world but I find myself in this only because I have a great love for what I do. FSPA has introduced me to other areas that I had no idea I could be capable of. I discovered my liking for singing as well as make-up for theatre. Thus, I envision myself to be recognised as an actor in theatre and later in films too as a well-known make-up artiste.