BHUBANESWAR: Eminent theatre personality Haren Sahoo is the recipient of Sangeet Natak academy award for 2018-19. Sahoo started his drama career in 1975 while he was in school and acted in a drama called ‘Karnarjuna’.
Recalling his enchantment with theatre, he said the character of ‘Sakuni’, which he had played, made him fall in love with this art. From that day onwards, he has never looked back. At present, Sahoo is the president of ‘Odisha Natya Sangha’ and a successful drama director too. It may be mentioned here that he is a statistical officer with the state government.
Orissa POST interacted with the theatre genius so as to get insight knowledge of the Odia theatre and gather his views on the future of the industry.
“I am a greedy actor and director when it comes to picking roles/characters and scripts,” he chuckled.
Sahoo has acted in 150 plays, TV serials and directed more than 200 plays. He started his theatre group ‘Panchama Veda’ in 2002 and works as an actor as well as director for the troupe. His ‘Moghul Tamsha’, which was an instant hit among the audience, was staged in various places in the country.
Speaking about his theatre group, Sahoo said, “Every year we organise an annual award function in October where we honour nine eminent people who work for the development of culture and theatre. Besides in February, ‘Pancham Veda’ organises a five-day state-level theatre fest where on the last day five personalities are honoured with ‘Pancham Veda award’.”
When asked if the future of theatre looked gloomy in Odisha, he said that he doesn’t think so. “Odisha has some wonderful theatre actors who are also acting in movies.”
“Once upon a time the quality of Odia theatre was horrendous but no more,” he highlighted. Nowadays, the state government helps the theatre people to organise good plays with the help of eastern zonal culture centre (EZCC).
The government is organising ‘Natyadhara’ where kaleidoscopic plays are staged. We are also hoping to extend Natyadhara by four days – three days in Rourkela and in Puri’s Arnapurna theatre for one day. “The state government is also waiving of 50 per cent of booking-venue cost.”
While admitting that the Odia theatre world lacks good writers; he attributed the bane to the lack of good critics in the Odia theatre sphere.
Speaking about Odia plays not hogging the limelight in national-level; Sahoo decried the choices of critics. However, he added that this year at National School of Drama, Delhi two Odia plays – ‘Dasavatar’ from Satabdira Kalakar group and New Quest Repertoire’s ‘Nagamandal’ directed by Nalini Nihar Nayak— have been selected to be staged.
Chaitali Shome,OP