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Jaimini Pathak has received rare reviews for his performance in "Mahadevbhai" directed by Ramu Ramanathan. Jaimini has dircted plays like "Combat", "Curfew", "The Travel Show" and several others. His current production "Stallions", written by Nitin Batra and directed by Jaimini himself, is a part of the Writers'' Bloc Festival that will be Held at Prithvi. Jaimini Pathak makes his confessions on theatre, a little assertively and the questions put forth seem almost absurd.
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- by Purva Desai
English Theatre is seen as elitist theatre. Comments?
 That could be for various reasons. English Theatre, to begin with, is a hand down from our colonial masters. Then, for years, Indian Theatre practitioners have made no attempt to write Original plays in English, or even perform the few that have been written. There was little attempt to Translate or adapt plays from the vernacular. And the English language is understood by a very small Percentage of the country’s population, so automatically it performs for a niche audience. Also, The language itself limits the themes a writer can take up. It would not seem natural to write a play where villagers speak English. You then come to Problematic areas like Hinglish or Indian English, Neither of which have been truly explored as a legitimate language for the theatre to create a body
Of work.
Do you think there is a dearth of originality in Theatre? If yes, then why it so?
There is a dearth of originality in every medium and profession, why only the theatre? Lack of Originality is a fact of life, especially in our Country.
Most plays performed are adaptations. Is Creativity Dead or dying? Why aren’t more scriptwriters writing original plays for theatre today?
In India, writing plays is not a financially rewarding occupation. There is also no inclination to Encourage new playwrights in the English language. There is a sudden spurt in writing in English in Mumbai, but it will take a few years before we will be able to assess if anything of any lasting value is being written. A good play is one that holds the Interest of actors and directors beyond a period of 10 Years or more, and is performed again and again; by Different people Playwriting is a laborious process. It requires a deep Understanding of all aspects of drama. Few people have the time or inclination for this kind of involvement, especially in an age where attention spans are becoming alarmingly short and the only expectation from entertainment is instant gratification.
As a director, what are your expectations from your Actors?
Flexibility and hard work. Alertness. Awareness. An interest in the overall experience of being a part of the theatre. And of course, a sense of fun and Enjoyment.
Do you have any message for the audience or your Plays speak for themselves?
The fact that I choose to do a certain play Itself conveys a message to the audience, doesn’t it? Communication with the audience is very important.
How effectively do you achieve it? Is acting for you just a passion, or do you see it as a 2-way communication between yourself and the audience?
All theatre is a 2-way communication, since there is a live audience. Theatre, in addition to being my passion, is also my profession, and it is up To me to constantly hone my craft in this lifetime. It is an ongoing process.
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