We all have a story to tell. On sharing it, a whole new world opens up before you. Or so believes Gagan Prasad, a Bengaluru techie, and that very thought is what egged him on to venture out with Spashta Theatre, a fledgling community of city actors, singers, instrumentalists, photographers and editors with an innate passion street plays. Four street plays and one theatre production later, Gagan shares the inside track as he preps for Kallariddare Echarike, a Kannada play, aimed at being staged in and around government schools across the city in a bid to promote the importance of hygiene.
“Cleaniness and hygiene are the most overlooked factors among the indigents. Kids around slums don’t even know what basic hygiene entails. It’s shocking how seeing ‘needy’ indulge in the dirtiest of acts due to lack of awareness are seen as the norm. Kallariddare Echarike, a streetplay, is our way of letting kids from downtrodden stratas be more aware about cleanliness and hygiene, and the importance of it. As poor hygiene can cost you a life,” he shares.
With an attempt to tell a tale that can change one’s perspective for the better, Gagan believes his platform is for creative professionals only. “We want to become better story tellers and better performers to create awareness with the public in a more effective manner and performing street plays gives us a better understanding of the issues around us. The idea is to place the common man’s stories in front of them. We want to be regular at performing them and not only during elections or say World AIDS Day.”
Gagan works as a trainer at Accenture. One of Spashta’s most popular streetplays, Swalpa Adjust Karenge a street-play on the usage of the Kannada Language saw a successful run of 27 repeats. But, the journey spanning a year-and-a-half has been sprinkled with challenges and arbit perspectives. Speaking of which, Gagan says, “One of the most ridiculous things that we hear is Idralli Dudd idya? (Paisa hain kya is main) (Do you make enough money!). The whole idea of having a theatre team or street-play was never to make money, so that comment cracks us up! We always wanted to perform in front of an audience, that is our only priority.”
With a day job, and a passion that keeps him on his toes for the most part; Gagan has his hands full. But, he believes there’s always time for downtime if one makes a kosher attempt. “I love watching plays, watching movies and discussing both of them with people. Travelling liberates me (However I haven’t been able to travel off late). But I must admit, Theatre is something which has hit me the hardest,” he signs off.
