Accomplished director assures memorable experience
Dildar’s director Jayanta Bhaduri’s passion and experience in theatre runs deep and goes back to his younger days in Kolkata. Moving to New Zealand did not dim any of that passion and drive.
Ever since he chose Auckland as his second home, he has been associated with the Probasee Bengali Association Inc of New Zealand and has been a leading member of its team for various social and cultural activities notably their annual Bengali Drama presentation.
Over the years he has strived to band together like-minded people in Auckland, working with a handful of friends to form the core group running the Rangmanch theatre group, which has presented two highly acclaimed and memorable Hindi theatre productions in the past three years.
Starting off with Bengali plays, Rangmanch moved to staging Hindi plays because of the wider appeal in Auckland’s relatively small Indian community, Mr Bhaduri told Indian Weekender.
The well-known personality in Auckland’s cultural fraternity of the migrant Indian community said the “fabulous” audience response to the first two Hindi productions – Zimmedari in 2008 and Ballabhpur ki Kahani in 2010 – has encouraged the group to stage at least new production every year.
“We are sure Dildar will be as well received as the previous two.” Mr Bhaduri said each of the plays were different in theme and style. The 3-act, 7-scene Zimmedari was about relationships, while Ballabhpur ki Kahani was an “intellectual comedy,” he said.
The humble, soft spoken Mr Bhaduri is himself a gifted actor – a fact that does not come across in a casual encounter with the self effacing man. “His literary acumen and sense of drama are of the highest level and his passion to reach out to the wider audience is what led to the creation of Rangmanch,” says one of the founding members of the theatre group.
It was a challenge finding actors and at first, Mr Bhaduri said. The group started auditioned wide for its first Hindi play and was fortunately able to compile a growing database of people who were interested in volunteering their time and talent into Ragmanch’s productions.
“It’s a complete voluntary effort,” Mr Bhaduri said. “It’s commendable because it means tremendous commitment of time and effort. Meeting three or four times a week for months for rehearsals in the run up to a play’s staging is quite something.”
Asked how Rangmanch selects a production, Mr Bhaduri said it considered several factors.
“We look at how thought-provoking and entertaining it can be for the kind of Audiences we have in Auckland – and also the local talent available,” he said.
The multi-character Dildar, which has eight scenes and about half a dozen backstage co-ordinators is as much an entertainer as a existentially thought-provoking story, according to Mr Bhaduri. It has songs, music and an audio-visual sequence, he said.
For Dildar, Mr Bhaduri decided to take on a small role, preferring rather to channelise his considerable experience in all departments of theatre to directing the multicast, multi scene production.
Indian Weekender is proud to be associated with Ranmanch and its latest production Dildar, the first show of which is dedicated to fundraising for the Indian Weekender Make a Difference to St John Ambulance project, which seeks to donate a fully equipped ambulance to New Zealand’s largest ambulance service from the Indian community in New Zealand.
For further details of the play please see the advert in this edition of Indian Weekender or log on to www.rangmanch.org.nz
Dildar’s director Jayanta Bhaduri’s passion and experience in theatre runs deep and goes back to his younger days in Kolkata. Moving to New Zealand did not dim any of that passion and drive.
Ever since he chose Auckland as his second home, he has been associated with the Probasee Bengali...
Dildar’s director Jayanta Bhaduri’s passion and experience in theatre runs deep and goes back to his younger days in Kolkata. Moving to New Zealand did not dim any of that passion and drive.
Ever since he chose Auckland as his second home, he has been associated with the Probasee Bengali Association Inc of New Zealand and has been a leading member of its team for various social and cultural activities notably their annual Bengali Drama presentation.
Over the years he has strived to band together like-minded people in Auckland, working with a handful of friends to form the core group running the Rangmanch theatre group, which has presented two highly acclaimed and memorable Hindi theatre productions in the past three years.
Starting off with Bengali plays, Rangmanch moved to staging Hindi plays because of the wider appeal in Auckland’s relatively small Indian community, Mr Bhaduri told Indian Weekender.
The well-known personality in Auckland’s cultural fraternity of the migrant Indian community said the “fabulous” audience response to the first two Hindi productions – Zimmedari in 2008 and Ballabhpur ki Kahani in 2010 – has encouraged the group to stage at least new production every year.
“We are sure Dildar will be as well received as the previous two.” Mr Bhaduri said each of the plays were different in theme and style. The 3-act, 7-scene Zimmedari was about relationships, while Ballabhpur ki Kahani was an “intellectual comedy,” he said.
The humble, soft spoken Mr Bhaduri is himself a gifted actor – a fact that does not come across in a casual encounter with the self effacing man. “His literary acumen and sense of drama are of the highest level and his passion to reach out to the wider audience is what led to the creation of Rangmanch,” says one of the founding members of the theatre group.
It was a challenge finding actors and at first, Mr Bhaduri said. The group started auditioned wide for its first Hindi play and was fortunately able to compile a growing database of people who were interested in volunteering their time and talent into Ragmanch’s productions.
“It’s a complete voluntary effort,” Mr Bhaduri said. “It’s commendable because it means tremendous commitment of time and effort. Meeting three or four times a week for months for rehearsals in the run up to a play’s staging is quite something.”
Asked how Rangmanch selects a production, Mr Bhaduri said it considered several factors.
“We look at how thought-provoking and entertaining it can be for the kind of Audiences we have in Auckland – and also the local talent available,” he said.
The multi-character Dildar, which has eight scenes and about half a dozen backstage co-ordinators is as much an entertainer as a existentially thought-provoking story, according to Mr Bhaduri. It has songs, music and an audio-visual sequence, he said.
For Dildar, Mr Bhaduri decided to take on a small role, preferring rather to channelise his considerable experience in all departments of theatre to directing the multicast, multi scene production.
Indian Weekender is proud to be associated with Ranmanch and its latest production Dildar, the first show of which is dedicated to fundraising for the Indian Weekender Make a Difference to St John Ambulance project, which seeks to donate a fully equipped ambulance to New Zealand’s largest ambulance service from the Indian community in New Zealand.
For further details of the play please see the advert in this edition of Indian Weekender or log on to www.rangmanch.org.nz
Leave a Comment