Juhi Babbar Soni is set to enact With Love, Aap Ki Saiyaara at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity on September 23 and 24. Ahead of the shows, Indulge grabs the opportunity to speak to the writer-director-actor on the changing landscape of theatre today and its future.
How does the play serve as a voice for today’s women?
Saiyaara serves as a collective voice by weaving together the stories of countless women who have struggled to speak up for themselves. It brings to light incidents that women can’t talk about and that society likes to sweep under the rug.
How would you describe a modern Indian woman?
A modern Indian woman is a dynamic blend of tradition and progress, balancing cultural values, and family life with independence, education, and the pursuit of her ambitions.
You have written, directed, and acted in the play. Which role did you find the most challenging and why?
I feel I have enjoyed the process of writing the most as it lays the foundation of a play. I feel writing holds the most responsibility as it needs to convey exactly what I want the audience to understand and take back with them. To write a play that is one and a half hours long, I want to make sure that I don’t say something that offends my audience and my aim is to entertain my audience. When I see the success of the play “With Love, Aap Ki Saiyaara”, I know the success lies in the writing and I believe the actor in me has been able to do justice to the script.
How has the feedback been?
…Saiyaara has now completed over 67 shows within a span of 20 months and has garnered widespread love in India, receiving praise from industry stalwarts, critics, writers, and most importantly the audience. It is set to make its international debut in The United Kingdom soon, marking a significant milestone and raising hopes for more global recognition in the future.
Theatre today is moving out of traditional spaces. Was that necessary for its survival or is it diverting from the original art form?
Theatre is often considered to be the poor cousin of cinema and to a certain extent it still is, but I feel that the conditions have changed for the better. Theatre artists have long compromised on comfort and convenience. So if theatre today is moving out of traditional spaces, maybe it’s a good thing that theatre artists are now looking out for themselves.
Would you say technology has impacted theatre in any way?
Theatre is an art form whose true essence lies in watching it live. But the fact also remains that theatre needs to reach out to more people, especially the younger generation. So I believe an amalgamation of technology and live arts would be perfect to attract the new generation and build an audience for the future.
What is your vision for Ekjute Theatre Group?
Ekjute Theatre group was founded by my mother Nadira Zaheer Babbar in 1981 and ever since she has directed, acted, and written some of the biggest plays that this country has to present. There is nothing that can supersede the vision that my mother has for this group, and I wish to take this legacy of hers forward and make sure that everything that I write, direct, or act on is a reflection of my mother’s ideology of combining entertainment with a message.
What kind of roles would have us see you back on screen?
I like to experiment with roles that challenge me to be a better actor and work more towards my craft. I have always believed in trying something new and I hope to bring new characters to you on screen.
Does your theatre background help you to face the camera?
Theatre definitely helps an actor shape his/her elocution and acting skills. My theatre background helped me face the camera with more confidence. But if there is anything that’s good about my acting, it’s because of the two artists that I’ve been with and seen in such close proximity who are Raj Babbar and Nadira Zaheer Babbar. Their approach and sincerity towards the art make me value and respect the craft on a deeper level.
What do you like about Kolkata?
Kolkata is the hub of art and culture. Kolkata Center for Creativity and Richa Agarwal treat it as their personal mission to keep the rich heritage of art and culture of Kolkata alive. I am glad to have met such people and maybe that is why we are performing here for the second time.
A life lesson from the theatre.
Discipline, dedication, and hard work will always take you farther than just having the skill, but not the will to work towards it.
Could you tell us about your upcoming projects?
I have an upcoming feature film and a web series. I have started working on a new theatrical production as well.
With Love, Aap ki Saiyaara will be staged at Kolkata Centre for Creativity on September 23 and 24. Tickets are available on the official website.