I am Maharashtrian….Marathi is my mother tongue. Born and brought up in Thane in a reputed co-ed English medium school , and professional career in Mumbai. When we were studying in English medium school and following all festivals with traditions and culture. ( Please note when many around us were in Marathi medium school then ) All the communication except studies was in Marathi. I also remember my neighbor would communicate in Sanskrit at times at home. Chinmay Mission’s Bal-Vihar or Ghantali Mitra Mandal’s Yoga course was also in Marathi and so were Katthak syllabus with Rajkumar Ketkar.
I grew up watching numerous Marathi plays at Gadkari Rangaytan and believe me it was culture shock for me when I went first time at Prithvi theatre at the age of 24 when in training with NSD.
But WHY AM I PUTTING ALL THIS HERE TODAY ?
This is because I never knew the advantage of being MARATHI in MUMBAI in Theatre world is so enormous that surviving for NON MARATHI THEATRE is really a struggle. Then I realized why you see so many strugglers at PRITHVI.
My destiny got me here to NON MARATHI COMMERCIAL theatre and CLASSICAL dancers and I started realizing how difficult is continuing today with this THEATRE ART.
The life in MUMBAI is itself so crazy busy, full of crowd on which you have showers of rain or your own sweat. The roads and metro work have depleted our busy routines to level next . To come together and to do something in the digital world is another challenge.
BEYOND THIS WHEN YOU THINK OF DOING THEATRE YOU HAVE WON HALF THE BATTLE
WHERE IS THE SPACE TO REHEARSE ?
This is another crucial issue in this small city. Our own spaces have restrictions and then if we hire the space, we need to carry all the things or rent it out . If the places are good, they have huge rent which is beyond affordability.
WHERE TO PERFORM ?
Now in Mumbai we have to understand there are are 2 types of Auditoriums?
1. Private : Owned by private organisations or individuals …. These are good auditoriums with good facilities
2. Government owned ( either BMC, or State government )
3. Trust ( These are basic government lands who have handed to Trust
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