BEHIND THE LENS WITH SATHYU: "Theatre should be continuous

He is a celebrated name in the Indian cinema and theatre. A reference to Mysore Srinivas Sathyu or M.S. Sathyu, as he is famously called, brings to one's mind the flowing white beard, ever-vigilant eyes and a quick smile. Mysore's own filmmaker, Sathyu has indulged in almost all creative arenas of filmdom and theatre including direction, writing, acting and stage designing.
Now 80-years-old, Sathyu has been dabbling with black, white and 'silver' on and off for decades. Though he has directed many films and plays, he is easily recognised through Garam Hawa (1973), which won him the Padma Shri. His other ventures include films Bara (1980), Chithegu Chinthe, Haqeeqat (1964) and Train to Pakistan and the recent art film Ijjodu.
The theatre doyen was in city recently along with ace cinematographer G.S. Bhaskar for a four-day workshop on 'Visual Design in Theatre and Cinema' at Dhvanyaloka, Bogadi Road, organised under the joint auspices of Mysore Film Society and Bangalore's LACE Films. In a tete-a-tete with me, Sathyu dwells on the impact of theatre and films on the public.

M.S. Sathyu. Pic.by M.S. Apuurva

Shwetha: You are actively involved in theatre. There was a time when Bangalore was well-known for theatre activities. But theatre is not as dynamic now as it was earlier.
M.S. Sathyu: It is not true. Lots of theatre activities are happening at present in Karnataka and Maharashtra, but only some amount in Delhi. However, theatre activity in Kolkata is quite bad and it has become seasonal. In Delhi, the National School of Drama (NSD) and Sangeet Natak Academy organise theatre festivals. As they are government sponsored, there is no entry fee. Hence, the Delhi audience has lost the habit of buying tickets. I think theatre can survive only if the audience buy tickets.
However, what is happening in Rangashankara in Banga-lore is laudable. They are in their 6th year and stage plays everyday except on Mondays. The public do not bother about what play is being staged. They just come and watch them. The entry ticket cost some Rs. 49 earlier but has become Rs. 80 now. And Rs. 80 is not too much when we consider watching movies in multiplexes which cost us much more.
Theatre should be continuous. It should not be restricted to weekend or seasonal plays. If plays are staged everyday, people will start coming.
Shwetha: At Rangayana, they stage weekend plays, most of them old. Experimentation in theatre has become rare. Is it the same in Bangalore ?
Sathyu: There is a lot of experimentation in Bangalore, with many new groups coming up. Of course, there are problems in Rangayana. I think things will take a better turn now that Halemane [Lingadevaru Hale-mane] has come in as the Director. However, it was only during the time of Prasanna that lots of innovations and improvements happened. Starting weekend plays was Prasanna's idea. There is every facility in Rangayana — well-equipped theatre, funds etc. They can do any number of plays.
In Mysore, except Rangayana, there is no other good theatre. It is difficult for amateurs and small theatre groups to hire theatre and stage plays. Hence, instead of keeping it idle, they should hire it out to other theatre groups.
Shwetha: Any new plays coming up in Indian theatre? Either Indian or western?
Sathyu: Yes. There are a lot of new plays coming up, like in Marathi...
Shwetha: What about Kannada?
Sathyu: In Kannada, Suresh Heblikar and Girish Karnad are writing plays. There are some young writers also.
Shwetha: Cinemas influence people, their life and the way they think. The present day films lack any message. And art films with such messages are inaccessible to public…
Sathyu: This has been a problem for long time. Only a small section of the audience is interested in good movies. Most people do not come as they are not glitzy and glamorous. We don't need a large audience for art films because each film is targeted at a certain kind of audience.
Shwetha: Should more importance be given to mainstream films or art films?
Sathyu: Both kinds of films should be there, basically, to entertain the mass. It is a commercially viable venture. Running a theatre costs a lot of money. And the money has to come from the audience. It means the film should be popular and attract people. Along with such popular cinema, there should be some issue-based films too.
Shwetha: But art films are restricted to awards and they never come to mainstream.
Sathyu: It's true. I myself have not been able to show my films here because nobody in Mysore wanted to buy them. It has been two years since I made Ijjodu. There is no theatre to show it. We have to show it here [in the workshop]. I screened it for two weeks in Bangalore and also in Mangalore and Udupi. I held seminars in Mangalore colleges and even 50% concession was given to students. This is how we should create an avenue for the youth; by tapping young talents at the University level. Sporadic theatre does not create avenues.
Shwetha: You have worked with Chetan Anand. How was he as a Director ?
Sathyu: He was a sensitive film-maker; didn't make too intellectual or too commercial films.
Shwetha: Don't you think if you give publicity to art films before they are released, people would come to see them?
Sathyu: They never get released in the first place [laughs]. Publicity too costs money. I couldn't make a film for 12 years.
Shwetha: When you brand it as an art film, it is common that people will not come because they think it is boring.
Sathyu: Those who really want to see the film will come.
Shwetha: Tell us about Garam Hawa.
Sathyu: History is very important for us and Garam Hawa reminds us of that history which today's youth need to know about. I made the film 25 years after Independence. Ten years later, Tamas was made. Khamosh Pani and Khuda Ke Liye, two films by Pakistani Directors, are also very good.
Shwetha: Aren't modern films too loud; in terms of colour, costumes or story? They lack a silence.
Sathyu: Yes, they lack the beauty of silence.
Shwetha: What is the role of media in promoting theatre?
Sathyu: The media should present write-ups from time to time. For cinema or theatre to grow, previews are more important than reviews!