Badal Sircar: Search for a Language of Theatre

Badal Sircar was one of the most significant modern playwrights of post-Independence India. Starting in the 1950s, with his deep understanding of the concerns and anxieties of the Indian middle class, coupled with his delightful sense of humour and wit, he made an immediate connection with the people. He brought new energy and excitement to the theatre arena with his extensive body of plays. He stands out for his innovativeness and the sheer range of his plays in terms of subjects, forms and styles. He is probably the most translated and staged Indian playwright of the last century. Badal Sircar, with his unique and characteristic restlessness, passion and social commitment, was constantly experimenting not only with dramatic form and language but also with performance spaces, acting styles and performer-spectator relationships. Through experiments and exposure to various methodologies, he explored and developed his theory and practice of theatre, known as the Third Theatre—a form of theatre that synthesises elements of urban and traditional theatre. Donning many hats – as playwright, theoretician, actor, director, and activist – he was a composite theatre personality, and he liked to be known as such. Single-handedly, he created a brand of theatre all over the country and overseas, which empowered small, amateur theatre groups to practise theatre without much infrastructure and training, yet with a strong sense of purpose. This book, through memoirs, interviews, essays, dialogues, reviews, and notes by directors, traces the life and theatre of this iconic yet lonely figure, from different viewpoints, piecing together his relentless creative journey spanning more than six decades.