Pandemic-Induced Lockdown Casts Cloud Over West Bengal’s Theatre Industry

The artists associated with theatre have been severely affected due to the COVID-19 lockdown in West Bengal.

Kolkata: As the country is learning to live with coronavirus, the state’s theatre industry has been left in the lurch due the existing social-distancing norms.

The Bengali entertainment industry had decided to begin shooting on Wednesday. However, the shoots had to be cancelled amid rift over Covid-19 medical insurance. All the issues have been resolved in a meeting, which took place earlier in the day. The shoots will commence from Thursday (June 11) in the state.

Theatre actors await govt’s advisory

As the state government is yet to take a decision on allowing the theatre industry to operate, actors and crew members of the industry have been rendered jobless.

“Besides people associated with the industry, no one else is paying heed to the plight of theatre,” said veteran theatre artiste and critic, Rudraprasad Sengupta.

“Unlike the film industry, investment in theatre is scarce and without any government policy, people associated with theatre are facing hardships,” he said.

However, veteran actor and social activist Bibhash Chakraborty said theatre does not require any special guideline. “The government needs to consider the working of the theatre industry to formulate guidelines,” he said.

Speaking about the current scenario, veteran director and playwright, Manoj Mitra, said, “Several theatres halls, including Star Theatre and ones in the rural areas, have faced closure in the recent past leaving people jobless. We are hopeful that the central and state governments will take necessary actions to save the industry by the end of the year.”

Actor Kaushik Sen said, “According to experts, the pandemic will last long. Hence, we need to live with it. I guess we will be able to start working by the end of the year.”

Theatre artiste Anirban Bhattacharya said, “There has been a communication gap between the theatre industry and government.”

Politician and playwright, Bratya Basu said, “Though shooting for cinema will start soon, cinema halls and theatres are yet to reopen as crowding is prohibited. However, we are hopeful about things returning to normalcy.”

Sans govt support, theatre forced to self-sustain

Since the theatre industry did not receive any financial aid from the government amid the Covid-19 outbreak, artistes have started collecting funds to sustain the fraternity.

Sen said, “We have founded an organisation called Soubhratitya with an aim to help people associated with the industry financially.”

Meanwhile, Bratya Basu also came forward with an organisation called Bratyajan Ekannaborty Paribar and helped around 400 affected artistes and technicians.

The organisation, Jela Fund, has also been helping theatre affected artistes and technicians across districts.

New scripts revolve around Covid-19 outbreak

Since theatrical acts are based on socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions, playwrights are coming up with scripts based on the Covid-19 outbreak.

Basu has written a script on love in the times of corona, while Sen is coming up with a script on self home quarantine.