Prithviraj Kapoor's dream celebrates its silver anniversary

The 12-day Prithvi festival, which begins on November 1, will celebrate the silver jubilee of Mumbai's Prithvi theatre.

"The festival has been dedicated to Papaji [Prithviraj Kapoor, after whom the theatre is named] and Geoffrey Kendall -- the foundation pillars of the theatre," says Kapoor's granddaughter and the head of Prithvi theatre, Sanjana Kapoor.

The 200-seat theatre has, over the years, acted as a catalyst in helping develop a serious theatre culture in India, she says.

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Describing Prithvi as a gem of a theatre, Kapoor nostalgically recalls the smell of fresh bricks and cement; her association with the theatre began at its inception.

"Though Prithvi is a theatre venue, a number of projects it supports has little to do with the direct agenda of the theatre venue and more to do with the growth of serious theatre," she says.

Currently, Prithvi hosts more than 400 performances a year by over 40 groups. Prithvi, which is dedicated to encouraging professional theatre, has made a conscious decision to keep its rent down even if it results in a financial loss at times.

"We have been obstinate about showing what we want, the way we want," grins Sanjana, "to the extent of cajoling and even bullying the audience to be on time or switch off their mobile phones."

Prithvi also hosts a variety of projects, including an art gallery dedicated to the exhibition of artwork by well-known and lesser-known artists.

The Platform Peformance, held outside the theatre building in suburban Juhu, had grown into a weekend event with performances that have showcased a variety of talent. Though Platform Performance has been temporarily suspended, the event encourages a lot of talent, says Kapoor.

Theatre Positive, a monthly event at Prithvi, was born out of a mini-play reading festival. On the first Monday of every month, a new Indian script is read and critiqued.

Prithvi also publishes a monthly newsletter, throwing light on the latest events in the theatre world.

The other projects include the international puppetry festival, the culture heritage series, children's workshops and street theatre at Mumbai's Horniman Circle.

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