New theatre adda in Andheri

Artiste Kiran Pavaskar at the new venue in Andheri. Pics/Sameer Markande

Real estate in Mumbai is a unique phenomenon. The brutal cost of living and congestion that spills on to footpaths aside, it throws bizarre surprises at you. A ghostly building could hem in a perfectly functional flat with modern conveniences, a hole-in-the-wall shop could be better stocked than a two-storey showroom. Or, as a tour of the MHADA area of Four Bungalows in Andheri reveals on a Friday afternoon, a small row house-like construction with an attic could lend itself to an intimate performance venue when modified smartly. Jugaad comes into play where the state ducks its duty, and artiste Kiran Pavaskar doesn't shy away from calling herself a jugaadu theatrewali.

"Calendars of established venues in Mumbai are packed through the year, so getting a date for a performance is a real struggle," she says, referring to the impact of space crunch in the city on its cultural facet, where experimental and fledgling theatre groups are at the bottom of the pyramid. "But to be seen as an established group, you need space to rehearse and perform," she adds.

A rehearsal in progress

Having performed in compact spaces that have come up in the last couple of years in Versova's Aram Nagar like Harkat Studios, OverAct, Studio Tamaasha and Playshed, and in Malad's CLAP, she felt the time was ripe to convert her family-owned space in Andheri into a performance venue. While it would earlier be given out for auditions and rehearsals, Unmask Studios & Reader's Cafe after over three months of renovation work is a tailor-made theatre adda, which was inaugurated last evening with a ghazal performance.

Suitable for an audience of 40, the space bears the stamp of Pavaskar's theatre background. "I included what I liked in the spaces I have performed in, and made changes in areas I felt could be tweaked for better. Good lights, sound and flooring is what a performer needs," she explains. The walls have been tiled for better acoustics, for instance. And par can lights with fader boards have been used over LED focus lights to provide better visibility to actors. The wings are often a problem in smaller venues, and Pavaskar has taken care of it by making a provision for movable wings. If a play calls for it, an elevated stage can be created with minor adjustments.

Completing the adda-like vibe of the space is the attic, with a small pantry, couches and two bookshelves with books gifted by fellow theatre artistes including Shaili Sathyu and Anita Salim. "We are planning to add books on Marathi theatre, too," informs Pavaskar. And she speaks, her mother Deepa Pavaskar walks in with a bag of utensils, a loaf of bread and other essentials to keep the fridge stocked for groups that have already started using the space for rehearsals. Having worked in the administration department of Prithvi Theatre for 13 years, she is now a representative with the theatre movement Junoon.

The attic has a small library and pantry

While she manages the space, Pavaskar takes care of the curation, with two theatre initiatives coming on board next month for the same. A national solo theatre festival called Ekam, with artistes coming in from Latur and places in Assam, Gujarat and Haryana, is one of the highlights next month.

The revenue model is a 50-50 one with the venue and artistes dividing the proceeds from the sale of tickets. "But to those theatre groups that are strapped of cash, the venue in the earlier hours of the day will always be open with no expectation of any returns," Pavaskar assures. "That's the whole point of a theatrewali creating a space for the community."

AT D-80/5, MHADA, Four Bungalows, Near Janki Devi School, Andheri West.
Call 9892756226

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