We are telling about different fashion of theater: Dr. Mukid Chowdhury

Dr. Mukid Chowdhury is the founder of Bengali Theater Movement, researcher, editor and writer. He has worked a lot on movement theater in the country and abroad and extensively worked on dance.

 

His produced programs have been staged in Bangladesh and London theaters.  His popular dramas are Oprakrito Prokity, Ekty Ashare Shopno, Koto Rong, Bhumi Putra etc. He has also directed a number of dramas like Chitranagada, Sagarika, Tasher Desh, Chandalika, Shayama, and Bhanu Singher Padabali. He has produced Pratik Theater at Habiganj Tea garden and three in Shayesthaganj theatre. On August 17, the staged a play at a tea garden of Bangladesh through Movement Theater. Side by side, Bangali Movement Theatre festival also organized on the same venue.

We engaged in an adda with him over culture and literature at a night in his house. Khorshed Alam, Assistant Professor of Drama and Dramatics department of Jahangirnagar University, dramatist and researcher Dr.  Tanvir Ahmed Sidney, Senior producer of NTV Jahangir Chowdhury and journalist Taposh Roy took part in the discussion. The magnetic part of the discussion has been picked here for the readers of risingbd.com.

Sydney: Would you please tell over your thinking on Bengali Literature?  

Mukid Chowdhury: I am very much worried over Bangladesh. Everything here is centered in Dhaka. There is huge crisis of good writer in Bangladesh. There is a relation between good writer and publications.  If good books are published, the field of building writer will be created. In our country the publishers are reluctant of communicate with writers. Rather they (publishers) wait whether the writer will flock to the publishers with their script. As a result, the writers outside the capital are remaining uncared. It is needed to free literature from Dhaka-centering otherwise the development of literature would not be possible. Another thing should be considered that literature of Bangladesh and literature of Bangla are not same matter. We are mixing it totally.

Taposh: How it is? Please explain.

Mukid Chowdhury:  Our limitation is- the state Bangladesh has borne after 1971 while Bengali Literature has been bearing tradition of thousands of years.  Bangla literature should be considered through this background and thousand year tradition. According my opinion literature of Assam, Odessa, Maniour region should be considered in Bengali literature. If we can do so, the coordination of West and East could be connected. Accordingly the Bengali literature will be stronger. The geographical arena should not be boundary of literature and we should be denied the boundary.

Alam: Religion is also connected with the regional matters... 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: We have tendency to see language through communal corner. It is not only noticed in our literature but also in our life patter. As for example, if you salute any Muslim by saying Adab, he will be angry as the term used as Hindu word. He expects that we will say him Salam.

Even in a matter of saying good bade we are lending foreign language when we think that our root is going to be uprooted.  A good research should be conducted on these issues.

You think, though during the colonial period we have introduced with the powerful writer Michel Modhusudhan Dutta, but now we are many far from them.  Our literature could not go in world class form. If we can overcome this, our literature will be established in the world. For these limitations we have failed to tour our literature in the world market.

Taposh: How our literature and culture will stand in the world? 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: Through translation. We have to do a lot of translation and we could be able to take our literature in the world.  In other form we can do this. As for example, we can offer research proposal in differ Universities on Bangladeshi literature and culture.  Through the research we can hand over prize for the best research.  Through this venture a correlation with Lalon and other writers could be established.

Sydney: Now we can talk about theatre. We the theatre has been standing? 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: The Bangladeshi theatre has been lacking behind 30 to 40 years of Western theatre. We always try to follow West. So we are much lagged behind from them. We can see our tradition. We can make research on our tradition, history, drama and culture.  The West has built their structure from Indian subcontinent and as we are following them, we are lagging behind by copying them. The fusion between West and East is needed otherwise our theatre would not come in front line.

Sydney:  If you please explain the matter...

Mukid Chowdhury: Any drama tram of Bangladesh would not dare to stage any drama without any dress while see our people of down areas. They wear a little dress. Many hill people live without dresses. So, why you have been denying the necked theatre by the name of civilization?  We are lagging behind. We are thinking over post modernism but failing to apply it.

Sydney: Please explain the current situation of the Bangladeshi theatre. 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: The speed of Bangladeshi theatre has reduced that stood in the 1990s. We have to rethink it now. We have to examine over the theatres of aboriginal community and then Bangladeshi theatre would stand on a stronger position.

Jahangir: Now we can talk over the movement theatre. In our country the concept of movement theatre is now. You have applied this movement theater. Would you please explain the figure of the theatre?

Mukid Chowdhury: In the movement theatre it is urgent of song and dance. In the movement theater is existing but all the movement theater actor and actress should be performed always.  In such movement theater there is no gender discrimination. The actor will appear in the stage both as male and female. In movement theatre you can present your voice at any language. No need to translate. The audience will take decision from its script.

Alam: Is it urgent to appear each actor and actress on the stage always? 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: In the theatre it is not urgent to stay on the stage but in movement theatre it is needed because we are saying a different form of theatre.

 

Alam: Pantomime is also same pattern of movement...

Mukid Chowdhury: You are right.

Alam: Movement theatre breaks the language barrier, so is it urgent to music there?

Mukid Chowdhury: From the primitive days we are seeing that music/song are means of giving amusement. If you do not understand language or word you can enjoy music.

Jahangir: I can recall the theatre Karbalar Jari. Here the director has played a significant role that touched our emotion.

Mukid Chowdhury: Here I can give a suitable example. I take the movement theatre in to the wedding house. Here the wedding ceremony of both Hindu and Muslim remain seven days. Here song and dhamail are compulsory. In the Western world, Dhamail of Radha Romon is getting much popularity. The while colourd people become mad with dance and song at clubs while the Dhamil will make you mad. The fourth congress of Radha Romon has staged in London. I took part in all the three programs. Day by day the presence of white is increasing than that of Bengalis there.

Jahangir: Now Radha Romon have failed to create interest in the mass media. When its importance will increase in Europe, then it will be emphasize in our country.

Mukid Chowdhury: Though Radha Romon makes his music in a plain words, it creates a jolt in the body. The jerk gives different pleasure. Here the seed of movement theatre is hidden.

Alam: It is the combination of Peter Brook and Groosky`s thinking. 

 

Mukid Chowdhury: Selim Al Din has created a form; he is big artist. He had skill and brave. We have none of those. Our thinking is to minimize and communicate. We think only language could not do this. We needed to add acting and play of tune.

Sydney: It is almost dawn. We want to wrap up the nightlong gossip now. Lot of thanks Mukid Bhai for your attendance with our Adda.

Mukid: Thank you all.

Risingbd/Dhaka, Sept 4, 2014/Writer: Dr. Tanvir Ahmed Sydney/SM Humayun Kabir