The theater personality Arundhati Raja will be presenting Girish Karnad's play "Bali" in Bengaluru soon. Arundhati Raja, who has a background in both science education and theater, has transitioned from balancing teaching and theater to focusing exclusively on theater. As she prepares for her English adaptation of Girish Karnad's Kannada classic "Hittina Hunja — Bali: The Sacrifice," she reflects on revisiting a play after many years, the challenges she has encountered, and her aspirations for the future of theater.
She shares, "I found AI to be particularly helpful while directing 'Bali' again. I believe AI can be beneficial to us if used correctly. Though it doesn't have the same knowledge as Girish, it provided valuable assistance in its own way when I had questions that I couldn't clarify with him directly. While 'Bali' was previously staged, I had to recast two roles this time, but everything else smoothly fell into place. Revisiting the original play feels like a fulfilling journey."
Having observed the evolution of English theater in Bengaluru, Arundhati notes, "Having lived in the UK for some time, I was pleasantly surprised by the English plays in Bengaluru. Over time, these plays have integrated Indian elements while retaining the use of English. Furthermore, we have witnessed translations of local language plays into English, expanding the audience for these stories. Theater in Bengaluru has undergone significant transformations, which is an intrinsic aspect of this art form."
Arundhati emphasizes the team-oriented nature of theater, stating, "Theatrical performances require extensive training to truly comprehend the intricacies involved. It's not just about delivering lines but also about portraying them naturally and authentically. Theater is a collaborative effort that involves various elements beyond just stage presence and speech delivery."You can absorb the character you want to depict through team-based theater activities. Despite the continuous stream of disappointing films, audiences often overlook plays. Theater can be a challenging form of entertainment as people tend to dismiss it after one disfavorable experience, unlike movies which receive second chances. There is a prevailing misconception that theater is dull or solely for intellectuals, but this belief is far from accurate.
