Quasar Thakor Padamsee has always been hailed as one of those thought-provoking theatricals who were ready to bring about a change in the art form and carve a space for themselves, despite all the pomp and show of the theatrical world. between weaknesses. One of the founders of the popular theater movement Thespo, Qaiser was able to carve out that niche and do great things right from the time he was in his early twenties.
In an exclusive interview with NW18, Quasar talks about their recent collaboration which was showcased at Serendipity Arts Festival, his love for a good immersive theater experience, inclusivity in the world of theatre, his parents Dolly Thakor and Alyque Padamsee, and many more.
First of all, congratulations on the wonderful curation you presented at Serendipity Arts Festival last year. Can you talk a little bit about the purpose of putting so many acts in front of an audience? Why did you choose to do the things you did?
I think all the acts were created keeping in mind how much we missed performing during the pandemic. One thing I keep telling myself is that Serendipity certainly caters to a larger audience but it also caters to the cast and sometimes the cast is the audience, so I wanted to make it special. Was. When we were thinking about what the lineup might be, the word ‘community’ kept creeping in, not just an actor-audience community but a community of people who haven’t been able to tell their story and for whom it’s important to tell a story and It became a main theme when we were finally able to choose the things we did.
We also wanted diversity in every way. Once we sat down and looked at all the plays we had put together, we were really happy to see how many different types of plays we were able to put together. A theater performance may no longer be described as a play, it may be a musical performance or merely a dance or even some kind of projection or movement so made up to the lineup. went.
You’ve always talked about how everyone should have a wider experience rather than just theatre. Can you elaborate a little more personally on how you ensured that?
Before anything else, I am a big fan of theater and I love going and watching theater shows. So, for me, I enjoy work that is distinctly theater and thus when I am creating work, I am always going to create something that cannot be replicated anywhere other than theatre, whether Be it television, film or OTT. I love an immersive experience and personally, I feel it has an impact on me and the moment I see anything impactful, I will go ahead and talk about it to others, so it’s a win-win.
Theater is always evolving, what are some of the changes in recent years that you appreciate?
I like how a lot of small theater spaces are being created in metropolitan cities, a lot of theater studios have now come up in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore, it’s almost like neighborhood pubs, we have neighborhood theaters now , which is great to see. I think all the venues have come to the fore because theater is evolving differently and because there are smaller venues now we are also being able to create more intimate theatre. Indian theater is evolving towards telling personal stories more powerfully and that is very exciting.
The use of technology has also changed the game, with the use of live cameras or projections almost becoming a part of theatre.
You have done some stellar work in the past, looking back what have been the biggest achievements for you over the years?
I just enjoyed working, there were stories we wanted to tell and we wanted to tell them in an interesting way. I love doing theater and being in theatre, trust me I wouldn’t change it for anything. Having a sense of humanity and understanding why people do what they do makes me a better person. I’m an atheist and I struggled to understand people of faith, then when I worked on a show where a character’s spine literally meant he held a spiritual belief, I was even more Struggled more but at the same time I began to understand why people choose to believe in what they do. It made me understand the world a little better.
Do you have any dreams for Indian theatre, do you envision anything special for it?
I hope and wish it was a little easier. I wish there was a greater artistic policy, so working in theater is difficult and sometimes not lucrative and theater allows people to work in other mediums as well because other mediums pay more. But, I hope it was easier for people to stay in theater and I wish there were policies where people understand the value of life that the performing arts bring, I think we’re very short-sighted on that and we’ve always been like that were not
How has your parents’ line of work inspired you and the work you do?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest, as a kid, I hated the theater part of it because my mom who was a theater critic used to drag me to all the shows and so for me, Theater was like a job. Luckily, I discovered my relationship with art when I went to boarding school. I was seventeen when I came back to Bombay and was sitting in a cafe with a friend of my father’s who kept talking about Dad’s work, not realizing that it mattered to me because I didn’t see much of it but when he realized I wasn’t making the slightest sense of it, he started to put everything into context.
My mother sees to everything, she is materially hungry and greedy, so that level of generosity and enthusiasm is something I happily inherited from her. I am a fan of theater first and foremost, making theater secondary. I got a chance to work with my father on a few shows, so his attention to detail is something I miss.
His shows were massive and I do smaller shows so the difference is always lovely. I remember when I was directing my first show, he came to greet everyone on the last day of rehearsal and when everyone started calling him inside, he happily declined and came till the interval. And waited to give me the cake. When I asked him if he wanted to see the second half, he smiled and told me that it was completely mine and he would come and see it tomorrow along with the rest and in that act, not that I was looking back A certain amount of trust and respect.
The effect hasn’t been as direct as people would expect, it’s been a bit of the reverse where they let me walk the path that I chose for myself. My dad always used to watch my shows on opening night and not once was like let’s watch it beforehand and fix whatever is wrong, on the other hand my mom watches everything and is a bit biased towards my work Yes, which is cute. One thing that I have gained from both of them is to know what is the meaning of the story you are telling, it is a privilege when we present a play so be very careful about what we present are trying to do.
What is your advice for anyone trying to find a voice in the theater industry?
I would say, just get into the room the way you can. Sometimes, we are a little too good-natured and turn down small roles or roles that don’t suit us but in regards to theater you just have to dive in and do it because it’s your chance to make an impression and learn.
read all Latest Lifestyle News Here