MT News Service
Jammu, June 13:
Natrang’s National Theatre Talk Show, ‘Young Voices of Theatre’ featured Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Awardee, theatre actor, director and playwright Dr. Chandrashekhar Prasad today who shared his inspiring views with the global audience at the Facebook page of Natrang Jammu. Director Natrang, Balwant Thakur informed that this unique talk show is featuring highly acclaimed young voices of theatre spread across the country who have earned a distinctive name for themselves with their outstanding contribution in the field of contemporary theatre and this effort of Natrang is reverberating at National Art Circles. He also complemented the guest speakers for their in-depth knowledge and brilliant ideas.
Born in 1981 in Bihar, Dr. Prasad holds a Doctorate in Theatre on the subject of ‘Loknatya Nach Ka Samajik Sandharbh mein Vishleshan’ from the Department of Indian Theatre, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Recipient of the prestigious fellowship of Inlaks India Foundation, Chandrashekhar had also worked as a Research Assistant at the Institute for Development and communication, Chandigarh. He has been working as the repertory chief of CEVA Drama Repertory Company, Chandigarh since August 2013 and has also worked as a visiting faculty for the Department of Indian Theatre, Punjab University. Apart from this, he remained Secretary, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi for the year 2013-14 and currently is associated with Natyam Film and Theatre Institute, New Delhi as a faculty of performing arts. Dr. Prasad has adapted, designed and directed a number of plays including; ‘Gulistan’, Munsi Premchand’s, ‘Namak Ka Daroga’, Bhagwati Charan Verma’s, ‘Vasiyat’, Rabindranath Tagore’s, ‘Munna ki Wapsi’ and ‘Ramkanhai Ki Murkhta’ and Anton Chekhov’s, ‘Seduction’ and ‘Birth day present’, ‘Who am I’ based on Rahi Masoom Raza’s novel, ‘Oas Ki Boond’, ‘Marjeeva’, a Maithili play by Awdhesh Pokhrail, ‘Total Gorakhdhandh’ based on a Chinese folktale etc. He has written two plays; ‘1857 ki Kahani Hayana ki Zubani’ and ‘Sister’s Beem’. Simultaneously, He is working on ‘Creative Drama & Art-in-Education’ and ‘Art Integrated Teaching Strategies’ for in-service and pre-service school teachers and has also organized a number of workshops with B.Ed. students, Teaching Faculty of State Council of Educational Research and Training, Chandigarh, Government school teachers of Chandigarh and TGT, PGT teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.
In a charged up conversation with Nartang’s senior artist Neeraj Kant, Dr. Chandrashekhar narrated his inspirational journey of theatre and how he pursued Masters in Indian Theatre from the Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University Chandigarh then qualified UGC/NET and also did PhD. After studies, he started doing theatre as director and met with many folk artists of his region with the motive to connect with indigenous arts and develop some outstanding creative pieces of art. As Folklore has always fascinated him, he did extensive research on that and also researched on finding the rational consciousness of folk. He did a lot of work on narratives; stories, novels, folk tales and myth stories. Dr. Prasad has very practicable views on sense of community commitment, economic stability and thrust for excellence in theatre. He voices for the economic stability of the artists. He believes that there is a need for an amendment in cultural policy of India and to think about creating a theatre industry, bring it into the organized sector and also an evaluation is required to assess the role of theatre training institutes which shall not end by just providing training and degrees, it goes beyond that. He asserts that we have to project our voice effectively so that policies are reframed for the betterment of theatre and its practitioners.
Natrang’s dedicated team which is managing this National event includes Neeraj Kant, Anil Tickoo, Sumeet Sharma, Sanjeev Gupta, Vikrant Sharma, Mohd Yaseen, Brijesh Avtar Sharma, Gauri Thakur and Chander Shekhar. Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Awardee, theatre actor and director Chakresh Kumar would be featured in this talk show on 14th of June, 2021.
