He is probably taking Sri Aurobindo’s
concept ‘Silence is all’ to the limit, but as a mime artiste, Drupad Gaonkar
has learnt to use the silence to his advantage. Taping deep within his psyche
to connect with the audience, Drupad, who is a Researcher in Mime Perspectives
at Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research, Auroville,
has told many a poignant story with a style and grace that speaks of an abiding
passion for the art. “To mime is to do what one can never speak,” he says,
alluding to the quote of famous mime artiste Marcel Marceau. An embodiment of
the five essential principles of a good mime – dancer, actor, philosopher, poet
and director, Drupad firmly believes in looking at oneself from the viewer’s
perspective to connect. “It is not so much about the skills as it is about
connecting deeply with the audience, to make an impact. A mime artiste must be
knowledgeable and connect with the grammar of the audience,” avers this artiste
whose style, infused with dance and drama, closely resembles that of Jacques
Lecoq.
Living in the creative cultural recesses of
Auroville near Puducherry, this Santacruz-based Goan has come back to say
thanks to his land by conducting a workshop at Carpe Diem, Majorda. But to
understand his initiation into miming, one has to step back a decade – the ‘pre
and post Newton era’ as he terms it. A performing artiste since childhood,
Drupad ran the mill, conducting, directing choreographing dance dramas and
drills which have been well received. Mime came about in the course of his search
for mime artistes for his home productions. “Thanks to Isabel Vaz, I was
introduced to Newton. In November 2004, we both performed mimes for the IFFI.
Newton’s overseas departure shortly thereafter left him to explore the ‘act’
alone as there were hardly any serious takers. Today miming is the pivot of his
life. “It has consumed my whole life. Today my theatre, design, dance, drama
are all amalgamated into mime,” admits this solo artiste who can perform as
many as 12 people in one act. His more commendable feat is a 24-hour
performance – ‘Some Sacred Silence’ – in Auroville itself as a dedication to a
friend, earlier this year.
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A chance happening wherein a mime artiste
could not understand his conversation with deaf mute students led him on a
further quest to research the history of mime. “I not only discovered that all
mimes are not the same but also learnt that there are different types and
styles of non-verbal communication,” explains Drupad. “Mime has a history in
every country including India where the ‘mookabhinaya’ is a vast subject, with
each state having its own nuances. I am researching different styles of mime
practised worldwide and their relationship with one another, their fusion and
how individuals have started their own mimes. I am looking at mime as an art
form – as a separate entity and within other art forms as well.”
He laments the use of mime for only comic
relief or social awareness. To him, the beauty of mime is that is can be used
to tell a story, any story, with a depth of emotion.
