Tera Singh Chan passed away

Theatre companies in Punjab :

http://www.indianetzone.com/37/theatre_companies_punjab.htm

Indian People’s Theatre Association : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_People’s_Theatre_Association

http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/groups/ipta.asp

Sahit Sabha fellowship for Tera Singh Chan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 24, 2003
Honouring Tera Singh Chan is like honouring the spirit of the Punjabi literature itself. So when the Delhi Sahit Sabha today conferred its lifetime fellowship on this great Punjabi writer, the entire fraternity of Punjabi writers was present at Punjab Kala Bhavan in Sector 16 to celebrate his achievement. The fellowship carries a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,500, a memento and a shawl.

On his part, the octogenarian writer, credited with taking Punjabi opera to great heights, kept his humility as always. He let the others do the talking, including writers Gulzar Singh Sandhu, Mohan Bhandari, Kana Singh, Jasbir Singh Bhullar, Devinder Daman, Santokh Singh Dhir and Dr Harcharan Singh.

In focus were the outstanding achievements of Tera Singh Chan who is especially known for structuring and staging operas. The most famous works which he has scripted in this genre include Lakkad Di Lat, which became the most famous. Phollan Da Saneha and Sanjha Veda, the other operas, are equally famous. The other work he is famous for is his book, Kaan Samay Da Boleya.

As the writers spoke on the life of Tera Singh Chan, another interesting aspect of his life came to light. He was the first among Punjabi playwrights to have brought the women to act in his plays. The legendary folk singer of Punjab Surinder Kaur, often played the lead in Tera Singh Chan’s works. Not just that, it was Tera Singh Chan who hosted the first ticketed show of Punjabi theatre at Amritsar.

Apart from being a very famous playwright, Tera Singh Chan is also famous as a poet. His collection of 400 poems is rated highly on the scale of literary acumen. Extremely active in the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA), which he enriched with his contributions throughput his life, Tera Singh Chan is still working as vice-president of the IPTA. He has long been on the board of Kendriya Lekhak Sabha as general secretary.

However, his most glorious achievement has been his contribution in revival of interest in Punjabi theatre which was still in its fledgling state in the 1950s. It was Tera Singh Chan who took plays to rural Punjab and to the national fora at the same time.

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Theatre man : Habib Tanvir

New Delhi/Bhopal, June 8
World-renowned theatre personality Habib Tanvir (86) passed away here on Monday. He is survived by his daughter Nagina. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday noon.

Tanvir was being treated for asthma and a range of related ailments in a Bhopal hospital for the last three weeks. His condition turned critical yesterday and he breathed his last today.

Born in Raipur (now in Chhattisgarh), Tanvir was educated in the Aligarh and Nagpur Universities. Tanvir, along with Sahir Ludhianavi, Kaifi Azmi, Ali Sardar Jafri, Balraj Sahni and Sadat Hasan Manto was a part of a galaxy of extremely talented and equally committed artistes. He helped found Indian People’s theatre (IPTA).

He produced outstanding dramas in Chhattisgarhi dialect and his “Naya Theatre” tapped the talent of ordinary people- rickshawpullers, panwallahs and small shopkeepers.

Whether it be “Mitti ki gadi”, “Charandas Chor” or “Agra bazaar”-his theatre productions almost always carried a message. Tanvir’s contemporaries and colleagues in the Capital remembered the ‘true renaissance personality’ with fond memories and sad countenance.

Moloyashree Hashmi, noted theatre actress and wife of co-founder of Jana Natya Manch (Janam) Safdar Hashmi, termed Habib Tanvir as the last of the generation of actor-manager. “Habib is a legend in the league of Prithviraj Chauhan, Shishir Bhaduri and Utpal Dutt. He was last in the generation of actor-manager. He not only acted, wrote scripts and directed plays, but also managed affairs of his Naya Theatre Company from production to paying salaries. His demise has brought an end to this kind of acting,” she said. Her association with Habib began in 1980 when he directed the play Moti Ram ka Satyagraha for Janam on the request of Safdar Hashmi.

DR Ankur, former director of the National School of Drama (NSD), recalls a play they had performed in 1970’s in Chattisgarh where protagonists Ram, Laxman and other characters from Ramayana were asked to put on heavy moustaches and beards by Habib. However, the locals with images of clean shaven gods could not digest Ram with beard and objected to it. “When the audience objected to the beard and moustache on Ram, Habib came up with a very witty answer. He told the audience that a man who had been staying in jungle for last 14 years without barber is bound to have moustaches and beard. Only now that Ram is going back to Ayodhya will they be able to shave. People were left in thralls,” said Ankur.

For Hema Singh, associate professor (acting), NSD, recalls Habib puffing pipe and she often telling him of its bad effects. Hema says Habib was never punctual. She narrates one such incident when she like always she reached the venue of practice on time while Habib was late.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habib_Tanvir

http://www.samarmagazine.org/archive/article.php?id=56

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_People%27s_Theatre_Association

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa-t_FImuKM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_KE9dKZVac&feature=related

http://ww.smashits.com/music/artists/songs/10290/charan-das-chor.html

IPTA annual day in Chandigarh on 25th May

Indian People’s Theatre Association Day in Chandigarh on 25th May 2009.

http://nawanzamana.in/nz/index.php?limitstart=7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_People’s_Theatre_Association