ENTERTAINMENT

Tumhari Amrita to MughaleAzam, director Feroz Abbas Khan talks about his journey so far. Tells us why his plays resonate with audiences

Very few directors have been able to sustain themselves in the world of theatre, the way Feroz Abbas Khan has. Having worked with veterans like Shabana Azmi and the late Farooq Sheikh in Tumhari Amrita, which was his first production for Prithvi Theatre, to directing masterpieces such as Salesman Ramlal and most recently, the grand musical, Mughal-e-Azam, his work stands testimony that the director leaves no stone unturned to reinvent himself with every project.

The fact that each of his production is not just critically acclaimed but also commercially successful, makes him stand apart. We caught up with the ace playwright/director to talk about his work and more...

Very little is known of your initial days. How did you join theatre?

I lost my father when I was just seven years old. I suppose the loss was unbearable and I did not have the vocabulary or the emotional capacity to express my grief and pain. It was then that theatre became an abode and an alternate world for me. It gave me the comfort of a make-believe world to hide and express. The real world was too oppressive, and theatre gave me an escape. That connection has remained ever since.

Every play you stage connects with the audience. How do you think that happens?

I have the greatest respect for my audience and their struggles, joy and ecstasy must be reflected on stage. They are not merely spectators, but, involved participants in my plays. Since they identify with the issues and characters on stage, they have a deeper connection.

You’ve directed feature films, but you’ve also continued to direct plays. Naseeruddin Shah had once said he doesn’t understand how people can leave theatre for films...

I consider myself principally a theatre practitioner, and whenever I have had the desire to share an important story with a large audience, I have made films.

People make choices based on their peculiar circumstances, compulsions, ambitions and aspirations. I can only talk about why I do it. I feel we need to respect the choices made by others.

Do you plan to direct a film anytime soon? How do you decide when or which film you should make?

I do feel a strong urge to make a film and hopefully, it will happen soon. Normally, when a story affects you deeply and stays with you for a long time, it soon occupies a large space in your heart and mind. The dreaming and fantasising that follows, makes it unbearable and you have to share it with a large audience as a film.

How has theatre always sustained itself and survived when other modes of entertainment crop up?

The desire to connect with a live human being is too strong to be replaced by any other medium. You can now watch a movie or a television show on multiple devices available in various sizes and anytime at your convenience.

However, a play happens on an appointed date, at a specific place and during a defined period of time.

It is very precious and gets deeply entrenched as memories.

Having travelled extensively with your troupe, what do you make of the theatre circuit in the country?

The audience for powerful theatre experience has grown exponentially. We are at a very critical and exciting stage wherein live performances are attracting huge numbers.

At this stage of career, what do awards and success mean to you?

To me, awards and success is a transient spurt of acknowledgement and some excitement. Awards have not been the yardstick for my work, nor my destination. Excellence is the only quest and purpose of one’s work.

I consider myself principally a theatre practitioner, and whenever I have had a desire to share an important story with a large audience, I have made films. FEROZ ABBAS KHAN, DIRECTOR

A still from the play Tumhari Amrita

A still from the play Salesman Ramlal