What’s the first word that comes to your mind when I say the word drama? For me, it is storytelling. Some other words that follow are powerful, exciting, and theatrical. Sounds common, right? But what do you mean by Indian drama? I hope you are not referring to the scripted shows and movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Because some of our generation does.
Let’s understand what Indian Drama really is. For thousands of years, drama has been an integral part of our culture. It has been a medium for storytelling as well as a means of entertainment since ancient times. With themes ranging from mythology to philosophy, Indian drama has shaped our lives and inspired us immensely.
Origins of Indian Drama
The introduction of this art form is attributed to Natya Shastra, an ancient book written by the renowned sage Bharata Muni. It gives us insight into the major Indian performing arts – dance, music, and plays. For years, our kings and queens were mesmerized by these classical performances. With the works of playwrights like Kalidasa, the classical tradition saw its peak. Abhijanashakuntalam and Meghadūta are considered one of the finest plays in Indian history. Works by Sanskrit artists such as Bhasa and Shudraka explored different themes apart from romance and mythology through their creations.
The period of Sanskrit drama then paved the way for the growth of regional folklore. These art forms depicted their beauty and richness through vibrant colours, vernacular languages, and music that soothed the soul. Each region in the country developed its own unique yet breathtaking culture. Kerala adopted Kathakali, an elaborate dance form with green painted faces and beautiful gestures; Nautanki in North India, which is known for its compelling storytelling by showcasing the perfect emotions and Jatra of Bengal, which too focuses on powerful storytelling, mostly revolving on themes of mythology and nationalism.
Unlike the Sanskrit drama which was primarily enjoyed by the royal courts, elites and an educated audience, the regional folklore depicted legends, epics and daily life issues in their performances. This attracted the people towards their own region’s drama as it was much more accessible and familiar to them. Barring the difference in the medium of language, both forms of drama have enriched the diverse Indian landscape in their own ways.
The Impact of the Medieval Period on Indian Drama
India has seen the rise of Sufism, the decline of Sanskrit traditions, and also the introduction of other forms of folklore, all due to the happenings of foreign invasions and migration of people. Also, the influence of the Bhakti movement during this period must be highly underscored. The Bhakti movement promoted the idea of worship of the deity. For a devotee to show his devotion to his deity, he would write poems of appreciation in his name and compose songs and bhajans along with continuous chanting. Poets and saints like Mirabai, Kabir, Tukaram, and Namdev were the pioneers of this movement. Their work took inspiration from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharat, as well as from Raas Leela, which were performed in open spaces during festivals and community gatherings.
Although Sufism did not lead to the formation of a different drama, it contributed to it through its music and poetry dedicated to the Almighty. The composition of Qawwali is such that it brings up the emotions of love and harmony among the listeners. Moreover, it was also an important part of the political and cultural change associated with the Medieval Period. Hence, the period is often credited with keeping the essence of Indian drama alive in the hearts of the people, even during the ongoing political transformations and turmoil.
The Influence of English
Although the English had arrived in India for trading, they also brought with them their culture, education, and most importantly, their theatre. The introduction of new and unheard themes of satire and tragedy was adopted by Indian dramatists in the major cities of Kolkata and Mumbai. Also, with the compulsion of English education in schools, people began reading the works of great European dramatists such as Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen. This served as a great inspiration for the Indian writers who then adapted these plays in their own way to suit the Indian culture.
Drama was even used by Indian dramatists like Girish Chandra Ghosh and Vishnudas Bhave as a means of educating civilians about British oppression. Alarmed by the growth of anti-colonial sentiment, the British passed the Dramatic Performances Act of 1876, restricting the performance of dramas criticizing the government. This, in turn, popularized the art form among the masses who regarded it as a powerful way to expose the atrocities of the British against Indians.
The Great Modern Indian Theatre
Post-independence, with the support of the Indian government, institutions like the National School of Drama (NSD) and Sangeet Natak Akademi were established to encourage and train actors, directors, and writers. Since its inception, the NSD has produced a great heap of talent in the form of Om Puri, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Surekha Sikri, and many others.
With the advent of the 20th century, the inclusion of diverse and important issues like gender, caste, poverty and discrimination have also been incorporated into the modern art form. The message of these causes is often portrayed by regional linguists such as Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu and other languages. This move aims at lessening the divide between the urban and rural areas, where otherwise language has sought to be a barrier.
As we come to the end of the article, I hope that we understand how rich and poetic our Indian drama is. The classical tradition has not only evolved with the changing generations but has even transformed its meaning. The spirit of the Indian drama is still the same – even today, the ideas are borrowed from our diverse history. People are still enthusiastic about watching plays and regional dances, which are odes to their ancestors. So, it is our responsibility that this precious gift of our culture doesn’t vanish before meeting our future generation.