Shyamhari Chakra
Seventy-three years ago, when the tragic partition triggered mass migration, a 22-year-old student decided to stay back in India while all his family members –parents and eight siblings – migrated to Pakistan.
As India is mourning the passing away of her prodigious son – legendary theatre personality Ebrahim Alkazi – the divine conspiracy behind the decision of the young man to stay back is unfolded.
That Alkazi was destined to serve India’s theatre to be aptly revered as the “Father of modern Indian theatre”.
Ever since the news of his death on Tuesday in New Delhi at the age of 94 was made public, heart-felt condolences are pouring in from various eminent personalities. The President and the Prime Minister apart, India’s premiere cultural bodies like Sangeet Natak Akademi and National School of Drama (NSD) – the institution that he led as its longest serving director – are also lamenting the colossus loss.
And from among the many starts and stalwarts of entertainment industry, who have offered emotive tributes include Kamal Hassan, Naseeruddin Shan, Amol Palekar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Randeep Hooda, Rohini Hattangadi and Raghubir Yadav. Incidentally, many of them were mentored by Alkazi whom they revere as their guru in theatre.
Among the many illustrious pass-outs of the NSD, whom he had groomed, include Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Rohini Hattangadi, Surekha Sikri, Sai Paranjpe, Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry and Om Shivpuri.
Born and brought up in Pune – known for its rich theatre tradition – Alkazi, son of a Saudi Arabian businessman trading in India and a Kuwaiti mother – had his theatre-sensibilities ingrained in him as a child. Following his schooling in Pune, he had his college education in Mumbai when he got involved with English theatre that prompted him to choose theatre as his future.
Encouraged by his father, he left for London and joined the famed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art that enriched his art, craft, sensibility and vision as a student of theatre.
He was just 25 when he was awarded by both the English Drama League and the British Broadcasting Corporation for his noteworthy work in London. Offers followed from prominent British theatre groups to work with them but Alkazi preferred to return to India, to serve his motherland.
Upon his return to Mumbai, he set up his own theatre group and got associated with the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group that had members like M.F. Husain, F.N.Souza, S.H. Raza, Akbar Padamsee and Tyeb Mehta. These great artists were painting from his plays and designing his sets later on resulting in a unique creative collaboration.
In addition to directing plays, he launched monthly Theatre Unit Bulletin in 1953 that reported on theatre events across India. He further established the School of Dramatic Arts in Mumbai and took over as the principal of Mumbai Natya Academy.
Alkazi was the unanimous choice of the Central Government to head NSD during its formative years. Upon invitation, he joined it as the director in 1962 and served it for 15 years. His tenure is billed as the golden era at NSD.
The renaissance-man of Indian theatre was also known for his passion for and contribution to institution building, photography, visual art and heritage.
In due recognition of his great contribution to culture – theatre in particular – the grateful nation conferred on him three of its highest civilian awards – Padma Shri, Padma Bhusan and Padma Vibhushan – while Sangeet Natak Akademi decorated him with Akademi Fellow, its highest honour.
His individual contribution to India’s culture apart, his illustrious family has also enriched the country’s cultural canvas. Backed by his wife Roshen Alkazi, he founded the Art Heritage Gallery in Delhi in 1977 that was known as a landmark cultural institution at the national capital for four decades.Roshan Alkazi designed costumes for all his plays and wrote two books on history of Indian garments.
Both of their children have also made their mark on theatre and culture. Amal Allana, their daughter, has the honour of being the former Chairman of NSD while son Feisal Alkazi has also been a theatre director.
The strange decision that young Ebrahim Alkazi had taken more than seven decades ago – to stay back in India – has reaped rich dividends through his famed four-member family.
Apparently, the decision was the divine conspiracy for India’s theatre.Though Alkazi, the living legend till Tuesday, has left, his legacy would live on.
