Assam's roving theatre is stealing the show from its films

In Assam, the film industry is facing a bleak future. Multiplexes and cinema halls in the state dither to run Assamese films as these are not money spinners when compared to Bollywood and Hollywood productions.

Although a section of movie producers and directors in the state feels that use of modern technology, shooting in foreign locations and a solid plot could surely help revive the fortune of the ailing Assamese film industry and make local movies acceptable to the present generation of Assamese audience who are mostly addicted to Bollywood and Hollywood pot-boilers, the reality is that the producers here don't have the kind of money that needs to be pumped in to make a commercially hit film.

There is also another factor: Making films in local language is not found commercially viable in the state. Assamese is not the only language spoken here. There are other regional languages and dialects. There is also less audience for a particular language film in the State and the producers struggle hard to recover their money.

These days many top cine stars here, realising the risk of sticking only to Assamese films for a living, have started joining mobile theatres (locally called "Bhraymaman") in a big way. Even many Assamese film directors, producers and playwrights have joined the mobile theatre business for their main source of income.

In Assam, mobile theatre shows always make the cash register ringing compared to Assamese films. Even in Guwahati city, where all entertainment options are in plenty, mobile theatre draws huge crowd.

Theatre on the move

While the state's decades-old film industry is showing no signs of making a comeback, the Bhramyaman industry is on the rise with new possibilities unfolding each day. The first group Nataraj Theatre founded by veteran theatre organizer Achyut Lahkar at Pathsala in 1963 paved the way for a multi-crore local entertainment industry in Assam. The term "Bhramyaman theatre" was first used by Radhagovinda Baruah, a renowned social worker of the state.

Mobile theatre in Assam has a long heritage in the field of performing art. It refers to a full-fledged theatre company, about 150-180 strong, that travels with its own sets, actors, technicians, playwrights, props, costumes and even cooks. After almost six weeks of rigorous rehearsal, the companies travel to towns and villages across Upper and Lower Assam, staging plays attended by thousands of people from all age groups. Typically, they present three or four plays in a season and performances are always booked in advance.

Mobile theatre in the state is not just a mode of entertainment; it has acted as a medium for awareness on various social issues. It is a medium that has great impact on the viewers. From highly qualified spectators to illiterate villagers, all enjoy the performance of mobile theatre.

There are several mobile theatre companies in the state. But apart from just handful, the rest vanishes after some time.

Why has mobile theatre become extremely popular in the state?

The concept of travelling theatre proved to be more successful than Assamese or Hindi cinemas when Kahinoor Theatre, the most successful theatre company in the State, took local theatre to a new high and made it a profitable venture. The mobile theatre paved the way for a new era on stage, bringing local flavours and ethnic styles to mainstream proscenium theatre.

Many compare mobile theatres of Assam with the jatras (the term "jatra" literally means moving from one place to another) of Bengal. But here lies the difference: Mobile theatre productions are much larger than life that distinguishes it from jatras which have simpler sets, plain story-telling models and rustic music.

And the secret of success of mobile theatre in the State is its high quality production value. Titanic produced by Kohinoor Theatre became an instant hit simply because it managed to re-create the magic of the Hollywood film. Rajashri Theatre's Sholay was another hit production. Superman produced by Aashirbad Theatre had all the amazing stunts done by the superhero. Can you imagine what kind of impact such productions will be on the audience when the same being recreated on stage in a remote village? The thought seems ludicrous but that's what the mobile theatres in Assam are doing.

They remarkably create a delightful world of make-believe with special effects such as clouds, smoke, fire or even sea waves on stage and it worked in their favour too. A mobile theatre show is almost like watching a 70mm film "live". The set is extravagant and special care is taken to do the impossible.

Contents of mobile theatres

However, mobile theatres do not simply re-produce famous films. They stage plays which depict the current socio-political issues. Plays on Jurassic Park, anaconda, Saddam Hussain's trial and execution, Princess Diana's death, search for Osama Bin Laden, the problems of witch hunting and insurgency, and many other important issues had already been performed on stage. Plays were staged by adapting Assamese folklore and Western classics such as Othello, Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Cleopatra, Iliad and Odyssey. The Kohinoor Theatre had staged Assamese adaptations of world famous plays, novels, epics and films. Likewise, some immortal works of Assamese literature are also adapted for stage time to time by mobile theatre companies.

Nowadays, the mobile theatres are producing almost anything. Although, the theatre industry in the state is criticised for rapidly shedding its traditional identity by aping Bollywood, it continues to thrive on popular demand.

Future of mobile theatre

Despite having no financial assistance from corporate houses or sponsors, the 50-year-old Assamese mobile theatre has reached a milestone rare in Indian theatre history. An industry in itself having an annual turnover of more than Rs 10 crore, mobile theatre companies have turned the fortune of many artists, and given the medium's popularity, the mobile theatre industry, it seems, will go a long way in the state.