Porvorim based actor
and theatre art teacher, Shantaram Pawar, has created his space in the theatre
and film industry in Goa. His latest play, ‘Dayashankar Ki Diary’ which will
have its premiere show on December 30 is a story that is inspired by his own
life.
“Dayashnakar is alone. In his world, fantasies and realities
merge till the point they become inseparable. Freud pointed out that a man
lives as much inside his mind as outside. But what happens to a man who cannot
distinguish between the two? ‘Dayashankar Ki Diary’ is in the form of a
dramatized memoir of an unsuccessful man. A typical small town man who comes to
the city with dreams of getting into films. Instead, he lands up on a clerical
job and is unable to reconcile with the drab realities of his existence.
Bertolt Brecht said “Giving someone a job for a small salary is same as condemning
him to life imprisonment”. Dayashankar is overwhelmed with sense of rejection
and humiliation. In his small dirty room, which he shares with another man,
Dayashankar spins a fine cocoon of fantasies to shield himself from the
reality. He spins and spins this web in which he himself, ultimately gets
entangled and loses control. The play throws up such intriguing questions and
most importantly provides an insight into the fantastic happenings of the human
mind,” explains Shantaram.
With a Masters in performing Art in theatre/drama, Shantaram has
worked in more than 55 plays in Hindi, Konkani and Marathi including noted
plays like ‘Ashi Pakhare Yeti’, ‘Mitrachi Gosht’, ‘Ek Shoonya Bajirao’, ‘Ashad
Ka Ek Din’, ‘Adhe Adhure’, ‘Man without Shadows’, Kumar Ki Chat par’, ‘Home
coming’, ‘Rashomon’, ‘Mhaka Jaap Jaay’ and ‘The open Couple’.
His first solo act
play was ‘Mughalon Ne Saltanat Baksh Di’ and its response encouraged his to do
another solo performance. “A solo performance features a single person telling
a story for an audience. The challenges of putting up a single actor play is
that it is tough because you are there on the stage all the time. You have to
sustain the audience, without making them feel bored. The actor should be
physically fit,” says Shantaram, who worked as ‘B’ Grade Artiste in Kala
Academy’s Repertory company, Rangamell.
‘Dayashankar Ki
Diary’ will be performed on December 30 at 6.30 pm at Multipurpose Hall,
Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto, Panjim, under Prayog Saanj by Directorate of Art and
Culture. Directed by Shanataram Pawar, the play is written by Nadira Zaheer
Babbar, set is by Ayush Naik, music is by Sunny Rawool, lights by Nitesh Naik,
costumes by Madhuri Shetkar, make-up by Suraj Naik and production by Abhimanch
Theatre Group. Aarav Pawar will be the stage manager.
“I have directed this
Hindi play and I have working on it for the last one month. Anyone can relate
with this character and the story of the play. As I was also a struggler in
Mumbai, trying to get into films, I have seen many Dayashankars there and among
them, I was also one of the Dayashankars. The basic theme is the agony of a
common man. He had come to Mumbai to make a big name and but destiny takes him
somewhere else. I am working with this team for the first time for this solo
play and we practice in the evening as all the technical team are working in
the day,” says Shantaram.
Currently working for
Department of Art & Culture, the department deputes Shantaram to teach
drama in various schools. He has been teaching at Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley
High School, Pilerne, St Anthony’s High school, Monte De Guirim and Dona Leonor
Memorial High School, Alto Betim. He has also conducted theatre workshops for
children and adults organized by Kala Academy, Bal Bhavan and Tiatr Academy.
“What I like the most about teaching theatre to the children is their
innocence. They don’t have to try hard to get the expressions on their face.
Their innocent face gives all the expressions needed,” he adds.
Besides
theatre, Shantaram has also worked in Hindi, Marathi and Konkani films, TV
serials, web series and Ad films. His Konkani films include ‘Home sweet Home
2’, ‘Gagan’, ‘Pradakshina’, ‘Amori’ and ‘Hanging with a Thread’. He has also
acted in web series like ‘Ghost stories of India,’ ‘Astley Ka Intezaar’,
‘Typewriter’, ‘Hey Prabhu’, ‘Smoke’ and ‘Kaan Khajura’. Shantaram has also
directed eight Konkani Tiatrs for Kala Academy’s Tiatr competitions and won
prizes for direction.
