A little bit of drama is good for children

Even in this fast-paced life parents strive to inculcate in their children habits and values that they have received from their parents.

These leave imprints on the child’s subconscious and are passed on from one generation to another. If explained in the context of Indian culture, these are our ‘Sanskars’.

‘But what sanskars do children imbibe from theatre?’ The question might be raised by many a parent, teacher, guide or elderly person who has seen theatre as only a means of entertainment. 

“Children’s theatre is different from mainstream theatre since the latter is more centered around art and entertainment, while the former tries to focus on education and development and makes the child not just a viewer but also a learner,” says Abdul Latif Khatana, chief of NSD, TIE (Theatre In Education Company-Sanskar Rang Toli).

As the preparations pick up pace for the 12th edition of Jashn-e-bachpan, the annual children’s theatre festival organised by National School of Drama, representatives from schools line up at the drama centre’s campus in Mandi House to book passes for specific shows for their students. But this was not so till a few years back. 

“The Company is 25 years old now. But when we started, schools did not have any receptivity and saw us as a disturbance. This was the state in Delhi, let’s not talk about other states,” informs Khatana sharing anecdotes of how their workshops worked wonders for the children.

“Parents came to us asking what is it that we do that the children listen to whatever we say. We then decided to incorporate them in our workshop and they realised that it is not necessary to make every child Shah Rukh Khan!” 

adds Khatana. There was time when children’s theatre was at its peak in the National Capital. “Stalwarts like Rekha Jain (founder director of Umang), Sushma Seth, VK Sharma (founder of Khilona Theatre for Children) and Pankaj Saxena were involved when I was studying in NSD,” says Professor Waman Kendre, director, NSD. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said today.

Very few groups are working in the field of educating children through different means such as theatre. One of these is Purvabhyas Cultural & Education Society. “We operate on a different level, and endeavour to make a child a good human being by highlighting what the child already has in him or her.

Unlike filling the children with information and pressurising them to excel in theatre, we try to draw out what they already have, because children are dramatic by birth.
It is just the technique that they need to learn. And when they perform on stage, parents come to us thanking for their personality development,” says Neeraj Gahlot, director of the solo children’s play from Delhi – Kya Hua Haal, Jab Chale Nainital to be staged as part of the 14-day theatre festival.  

The Director (NSD) admits that the presence of popular faces helps in attracting more schools and children towards this art form. “In Mumbai, even though the stars remain busy yet they try to associate themselves with children’s theatre. Be it Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah or Kirron Kher.” Then why can’t the same be applied in Delhi?   

Though the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced Theatre Studies as an elective subject in Std XI from last year, experts in the field question the survival of creativity in the art form if it is not structured properly, and remains as just another subject on which the children will be tested.