Bansi Kaul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1949-08-23)23 August 1949 Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Died | 6 February 2021(2021-02-06) (aged 71) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Years active | 1974–2020 |
| Awards | Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1995) Padma Shri (2014) |
Bansi Kaul (23 August 1949 – 6 February 2021) was an Indian theatre director and the founder of Rang Vidushak, a theatre group in Bhopal.[1] He was a recipient of thePadma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor, in 2014, and theSangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995. Some of his notable plays includedAala Afsar, Kahan Kabir, andSidhi Dar Sidhi urf Tukke pe Tukka. He was a designer and associate show director for the2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and also the art director for the 1986 and 1987Khajuraho Festival.
Bansi Kaul was born on 23 August 1949 into aKashmiri Pandit family inSrinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India.[2][3] He was interested in art and painting from an early age. He was exposed toamateur theater groups in Kashmir. He moved toNew Delhi to join theNational School of Drama (NSD), but, did not qualify for the first time, before successfully retrying. He graduated from the institute with a specialization instagecraft in 1973.[4]
Kaul started his career as a director withNational School of Drama's NSD Repertory Company and was also a member of the faculty of the school's department of extension, before forming his own theatre group in 1984.[5] In 1986, he foundedRang Vidushak, a theater group based inBhopal, that incorporated folk idioms into its production and evolved a new idiom of clown-theatre. The group performed in India and abroad in several languages such as Hindi,Punjabi,Sanskrit,Tamil andSinhalese.[6]
Kaul directed and produced over 100 plays through his career, with some of his notable plays includedAala Afsar based onNikolai Gogol's satirical playThe Government Inspector,Kahan Kabir based on the collected works of poet-saintKabir, andSidhi Dar Sidhi urf Tukke pe Tukka an adaptation of Chinese folktale "Three promotions in succession".[4][7] Most of his plays were based on theNautanki style of street theater.[4][8] Other works includedMrichakatikam, Raja Agnivarna ka Pair, Agnileek, Veini Samhaar, Dashkumar Charitham, Sharvilk, Pancharathram, Andha Yug, Khel Guru Ka, Jo Ram Rachi Raakha, Aranyadhipathi Tantyamaama, Zindagi aur Zyonk, Vatan ka Raag, and Saudagar.[9] In a review of a retrospective of his worksRang-Bansi (transl. Colors of Bansi), newspaperThe Hindu wrote, "As a designer, he (Kaul) treads two worlds – the designer of mega events with plenty of resources and the designer of the theatrical productions suffering from utter paucity of funds."[7]
Through his works, he explored the politics of laughter and studied riddles and myths across Indian traditional folk tales, including clowns, orVidushak, into the central figure of his works.[4] His last productionPaglaye Gusse Ka Dhuan in 2019 was for theLucknow based Bhartendu Natya Akademi. The play was based on the works ofKashmiri poets and addressed the topic ofExodus of Kashmiri Pandits during years of militancy in the state.[4]
Building on his training in stagecraft, he worked as the art director for the 1986 and 1987Khajuraho Festival and also for theFestival of India in China, Switzerland, and the USSR.[4] Kaul was one of the lead designers and an associate show director for the2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. Speaking about his mandate, he would say that the requirement was to bring Indian culture and themes to the event, without lettingBollywood come across as the "only cultural identity of the country".[4]
He was awarded the 1995Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and thePadma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor in 2014.[10] He was also the recipient of the 2016 Rashtriya Kalidas Samman forKahan Kabir.[4] He received the 1994 Shikhar Samman from theGovernment of Madhya Pradesh, and the 1995Safdar Hashmi Award from theUttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi.[3]
Kaul was married to theater artist Anjana Puri. Puri was aSangeet Natak Akademi Awardee herself and composed music for many of his productions.[11][7]
Kaul died from cancer on 6 February 2021, in Delhi. He was 71.[4][9]