Mobile Theater understands better the Assam Audience !

Finally they got started again. After the inexpressible hard work and rehearsing day-night for almost one and half months, the Mobile theatre troupes of Assam have started their journey towards the different parts of the state in this mid-august.
Unfortunately unknown to the rest of the world, Assam got this unique cultural equity that already has crossed golden jubilee year from its inception and still celebrating a glorious chapter in the entertainment industry of the region. Despite the era of modern technology and advent of highly effective social networking media, the Mobile Theatre industry proudly keeping up its journey and touching new heights of success, both commercially and in case of popularity. Having this confidence and the blessings from masses, they again set off with the determination to win the hearts of the audience.
There are more than 40 mobile theatre groups in Assam today and all the groups will travel to different parts of the state to enthral the audience with their plays and magnificent techniques for next nine months. They will continue their journey of staging plays till next April-May month. Some of the leading mobile theatre troupes are Awahan Theatre, Hengool Theatre, Kahinoor Theatre, Bhagyadevi Theatre, Rajtilak Theatre, Ashirbaad Theatre, Brindaban Theatre, Itihash Theatre, Rajashri Theatre etc.

The concept of mobile theatre came into perception in 1963, when noted cultural activist and the pioneer of mobile theatre movement in the state Achyut Lahkar took this historical initiative to bring the Modern Theatre to all parts of Assam. He researched and learned a lot on the form of modern theatre and eventually had decided to go ahead with the concept of Mobile Theatre, popularly known as ‘Bhramyaman Theatre’. These mobile theatre troupes comprises of about 150-180 members including actors, technicians, make-up artists, cooks, drivers, helpers, dancers etc. Every year these mobile theatre groups select three plays typically and rehearse for one and half months in their camps. Finally they set off to stage these plays all the corners of the state. The local clubs and associations invite the troupes usually for three day event. According to these invitations, the troupes have to make their route and finalise the dates. The journey continues for next nine month and they travel throughout the state and all the necessary equipments, from lights, wires, machines, suitcases, chairs, bamboos etc, are to be loaded in trucks. The glorious journey, started in 1963, has come along a long path and it becomes the major source of entertainment in both the rural and urban areas of Assam.
By implementing the newer thought and innovations Mobile Theatre industry still gaining the overwhelmed response from masses and has the good turnover annually too. It should be mentioned that the industry reached a rare milestone in the history of modern Indian theatre without having any financial support from sponsors, but fortunately in recent years the troupes are getting some assistance from some corporate houses. From last year the mobile theatre of Assam is celebrating its golden jubilee and they have taken different programme to be executed throughout this year. There was a inauguration programme held at Pathsala, the town known as ‘Hollywood of Mobile Theatre’, where all the fraternity of the industry were present and they had discussed about the future initiatives should be taken for the growth and to increase the popularity of this only profit-making entertainment industry of the state.
And the industry got another feather to its hat, when National School of Drama (NSD) decided to take Mobile Theatre of Assam as its case study as it is a unique concept of staging drama in different places maintaining the contemporary entertainment level. NSD even invited Kahinoor Theatre, a popular and leading group, to perform drama in New Delhi and to share the ideas and techniques with the students as well as cultural activists of different parts. For a state like Assam, where all the entertainment industry, including the cinema, are in trauma and facing numerous problems, it is really a big aspect that mobile theatre industry still has been garnered and appreciated by all classes of people.
In this age of up-to-date technologies when the entertainment level becomes too high thanking to the internet, social networking media, dish antennas, different kind of television channels etc, how the mobile theatre industry of Assam is not only surviving and but also has surpassed all other to gain acclamation is really a matter to be discussed. If we look into the cinema industry of Assam we will come to know about a dark picture and find the industry is in a serious phase. It is noteworthy that in Assam, the first cinema had been made way back in 1935 and the cine industry has produced huge number of cult movies which earned recognition in various national, international platforms. But as Assamese Cinema fails to maintain that quality level with other, now the situation is really poor when the producers having losses continuously and the audiences also are not that interested for regional cinemas. Eventually the market of video films is also been ruined falling in the jaw of piracy and decreasing quality. Hence, the scenario of Assamese entertainment industry is not up to the mark naturally. But amidst this situation, the Mobile Theatre industry is earning a heavy turnover and artists are also getting paid well. No doubt, it is the reason for which all the big names of cinema industry are now busy with different troupes in mobile theatre industry. But what might be the reasons why people still go crazy when it comes to mobile theatre! Definitely the prime reason would be the innovative ideas of the industry that take steps according to time.

‘I really feel privileged to get such a medium in our state and work with it since long. Nowhere in the country has such a popular medium of entertainment exists except Assam. It makes me proud truly whenever I get a chance to talk on this outside and everybody find it hard to believe that such a industry can prevails and run successfully’, says Prostuti Parashar, leading actress of Assam who has worked in huge number of movies and has been associated with mobile theatre industry since long. Presently the popular actress is in Rajtilak Theatre, a leading troupe, and performing in various places of the state. This year the troupe has been staging three plays namely Maharani, Abhinetri and Xipa. Sankalpajit Hazarika, the proprietor of a popular and most stylish theatre troupe Hengool Theatre, says it is only people’s support and heartfelt response that running the industry successfully throughout the long period. Sankalpajit, a highly qualified guy, who studied abroad and then came back and took the responsibility of running the troupe after his father’s death. His father Prasanta Hazarika, a great actor-director who founded Hengool Theatre in 1986 and gave the industry a new look introducing new techniques and plays having modern concepts. This year Hengool theatre has started their journey with three different kinds of plays, i.e. Maa Ami Ulalu, Nisha and Chaknoiya. Again the noted drama activist and proprietor of Kohinoor Theatre, Ratan Lahkar fondly remembers those days when he jumped into this field and formed his group in 1976. The senior producer, who staged many epic plays including Titanic, Othello, Oshimot Jar Heral Xima etc. and has seen all the changing phases of this industry, says directly that Mobile Theatre of Assam has been surviving in people’s support; Govt has not taken any initiative for the industry’s growth. But keeping aside all the grievances and the obstacles, the mobile theatre of Assam is just moving on the right path to enthral the people of the state. Because they understand the audiences of Assam better than others!!