Sumedha Raikar-Mhatre
More than the
delay in the appointment of the director of the National School of Drama that
has disturbed a host of theatre practitioners and academicians (including
illustrious thespians from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur), what is surprising is the
apathy with which the artists' protest has been treated.
Neither a
verbal assurance, nor a hint of action has come from the ministry till date
even after 29 theatre practitioners -- like actress Seema Biswas, playwright
Ramu Ramnathan, scholar Shanta Gokhale, director Anamika Haksar -- have signed
a memorandum asking the government to honour the unanimous decision made by its
selection committee to appoint Arundhati Nag as the director. While the signatories
wonder why the culture ministry does not endorse the decision made by its
committee that comprises highly respected personalities in the field of Indian
culture like Shyam Benegal, Girish Karnad, Satish Alekar, Govind Deshpande and
Amal Allana, -- the stalwarts are thinking of ways to make a dent in the
government's current response.
The
signatories maintain that while all the necessary procedures were put in place,
as far back as November 2012, the government merely gives them a routine
answer: "the file has been forwarded to the right department." They
however suspect a larger unaddressed issue of cultural autonomy in the
ministry's disinclination towards declaring the chosen candidate.
Says artist
Maya Rao, one of the signatories: "It is not just the delay that we are
against. If an eminent panel scrutinises all applications and then places Nag
-- an invited applicant -- on the top of a prioritised list of three names,
there is no reason why the decision should not be respected. And worse is the
fact that now it is openly stating that it is not bound by a recommendation of
priority in the panel of selected candidates."
The
signatories state that the ministry's indecision gives rise to several
conspiracy theories, which is demoralising for those working in the reputed
drama school. It vitiates the cultural atmosphere and emanates negative media
coverage about the back-stage intrigue and the possibility of the appointment
of a bureaucrat at the helm. The press reports about lobbies and
counter-lobbies that influence the appointment are particularly damning.
Playwright
Mahesh Elkunchwar states: "I find this delay highly unethical. The
selection committee is a body that can make an informed decision. Nag has
founded and led Bangalore's Rangshankara theatre and she has wide experience as
an actress. She was therefore chosen to lead NSD. I think the government should
not form selection committees, if their decision is not to be heeded? Why waste
their time and effort?"
Meanwhile, it
is interesting to note that while artists are agitated about the delay and
seeming drift on the part of the Ministry of Culture, playwright Alekar (a
member of the selection committee) has a different view to offer about NSD's
autonomy. In an interview with Mirror, Alekar reiterated his feelings: "It
is very clearly stated in NSD's constitution that the body has only limited
functional autonomy. In the past, the government has accepted the selection
committee's suggestions without an argument. That was nice. But that is not to
be taken for granted." Alekar therefore upholds the ministry's decision to
scramble the ranking order of the committee.
Another
committee member, film maker Shyam Benegal, puts it differently to Mirror:
"Of course the government has the right to finally zero in on a candidate.
But there is a well-meaning way in which they could have dealt with it. What
about the trust the government reposed in a carefully constituted competent
committee? Are we to presume that they consider us incompetent to choose the
director? And even if they do find us incompetent in choosing the best
candidate, shouldn't the ministry quickly appoint another body to expedite the
appointment? In the interest of transparency, it should not delay the process
for so long."
Rao also feels
that if the ministry does ultimately decide to disregard the committee's
recommendations, it will be setting a bad precedent. "As cultural
practitioners, we need to oppose this trend. If we remain silent, whether we
are insiders or outsiders, we will only be allowing the government, not the
artists' community, to decide on the qualifications, experience and capability
of a head of a national arts institute."
Meanwhile,
Mumbai-based director Sunil Shanbag said: "Oh really, I didn't know
theatre artists were affected by the lack of a head in the NSD? I feel we are
giving too much importance to NSD, which has very little impact on the cultural
life of our country. It is an insignificant player in the theatre scene, except
for the fact that it has a huge disproportionate budget." He says he is
surprised to see Mumbai and Pune practitioners at the forefront of this
campaign. "When has the NSD, (mired in its own power politics) ever
supported any one of us? We have created our own spaces in Mumbai and we have
fought for our own autonomy? Mumbai's vibrant theatre stands on its own. About
the culture ministry, I am not even surprised by their delay in the decision. Did
we expect something better?
आलेख मुंबई मिरर से साभार.
