Performing arts and theatre are linked to sociopolitical movements

Niranjan Oinam *

"Aronba Wari" at 21st Ningtham Kumhei (Shumang Leela Festival) on 23 Jan 2025 :: Pix - Khaba Kh

Street theatre developed in the early 20th century to liberate the working class and strengthen revolution against the established authority. It was initiated primarily by leftist theater activists in India during the anti-colonial era. Although street theatre and folk theatre have many similarities, street theatre is a participatory social communication process rather than a straightforward artistic medium.

This essay examines the function and potential of street theater as a tool for community development that seeks to promote social change. Soon after India gained independence in 1947, the theater industry experienced significant upheaval. Competition from more popular film genres harmed the entertainment theater industry. Amateur theatre flourished in major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore.

As regional theater traditions have evolved, India's theater and performing arts have been catalysts for social and political change. Theatre has proven to be a powerful medium for promoting justice, resisting authority, and drawing attention to social injustice. Growing regional nationalism, the question of nation, and the complex narratives of anti-colonial struggle have influenced the development of regional theater traditions.

For example, the Bengali play Nil Darpan (1860) narrated how indigo farmers were exploited during British rule. Modern theatre The intersection of colonial models of cultural production and traditional cultural practices has shaped modern theater.

Performing arts, including theater, have remained a powerful tool for promoting social change and a vibrant platform for debate. Theatre has long been a powerful tool for raising awareness, reform, and resistance in India, influencing political movements as well as social structures.

From classical rituals to contemporary street plays, it has never stopped changing to reflect and influence social changes. Social injustice has long been brought to light through theater.

The exploitation of indigo farmers during British rule was made public by the Bengali theatre's Nil Darpan in 1860. During the independence movement, people were largely organized through plays and folk performances. Through theatre, the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) promoted anti-colonial sentiment in 1943. Lower-class communities have been able to express their identity through theater.

Dalit empowerment and Ambedkarite philosophy are promoted by Bhima Natya (Maharashtra). Theater has been used to expose corruption and criticize policies. In the 1980s, Safdar Hashmi's Jan Natya Manch presented street plays that criticized government policies; this led to his assassination in 1989. Law and social reform have been influenced by theater.

Vijay Tendulkar's 1972 book Sakharam Binder's discussion of women's rights and revelations of domestic abuse resulted in strict censorship laws. Religious and social traditions: Ancient theater had strong religious and social roots. Kutiyattam (Kerala), recognized by UNESCO in 2001, still upholds the traditions of Sanskrit theatre. Social commentary through folk theatre: Current socio-political issues are reflected in folk traditions.

Class struggle was depicted in Jatra (Bengal) during the Naxalite movement. Human rights, democracy, and corruption became new themes in modern theater. Habib Tanvir's Naya Theatre in the 1950s portrayed social issues by combining folk and modern themes.

State intervention and censorship: Politically sensitive plays are banned by the government. Vijay Tendulkar's 1972 film Ghasiram Kotwal was banned for exposing caste-based corruption and exploitation. The popularity of digital platforms has increased the influence and reach of theater.

YouTube-based theater groups, such as Jana Natya Manch, use digital performances for social activism. Government and private sources in India and abroad have supported Indian theater in its many forms since independence, but it has always been driven by elite talents and influenced by Western culture, while also turning to indigenous resources.

Modernist playwrights such as Vijay Tendulkar, Badal Sarkar, Dharmavir Bharati, Mohan Rakesh, Girish Karnad, Chandrasekhara Kambar, P. Lankesh, and Indira Parthasarathy were born during this period; their plays have been used and studied all over the world.

These playwrights brought intense formal rigor and thematic focus to the modernist angst in theater. The crisis of identity and the consequences of globalization are among the themes that young writers are currently discussing in many places. Modern Indian theatre is primarily influenced by three traditions: Sanskrit theatre, folk theatre, and Western theatre.

In fact, the third is the one that can be considered the cornerstone of Indian theater today. We can all see how theater and performing arts have evolved over time, challenged authority, promoted justice, and preserved cultural heritage.

Today, there are numerous theater groups and many theater acting institutes across the country, from private to government institutions. To maintain their influence, they have to strengthen their position through initiatives for cultural preservation, digital integration, and policy support. While bringing about social change in the lives of the oppressed or the common masses, street theatre is at the heart of the movement and journey.

To achieve this, it is necessary to combine the “progressive community development” process with “popular education.”. As a popular theater practice, street plays attempt to establish a participatory process that is sensitive to the “cultural forms” of the target audience.

Street plays, unlike proscenium theatre, are a space where actors combine their artistic and professional interests with their political and social beliefs. However, long-term developmental planning must be integrated with the theatrical process to fully realize its potential and make an impact on society.

This goal can be achieved through street plays by getting to know the community, identifying issues of concern to the people, combining entertainment and community expression, inviting audience participation, and making a call to action.