Arvind Gaur

Arvind Gaur
Born	2 February 1963(1963-02-02) Delhi, India
Occupation	Theatre Director
Awards	Noble Laureates 2008, Karmaveer Puraskaar Artistes 4 Change  · Colour of Nation Award ,2005

Arvind Gaur ( अरविन्द गौड़ ), Indian theatre director, is known for his work in innovative, socially and politically relevant theatre.^[1] Gaur's plays are contemporary and thought-provoking, connecting intimate personal spheres of existence to larger social political issues.^[2][3] His work deals with communalism, caste issues, feudalism, domestic violence, crimes of state, Politics of power, violence, injustice, social discrimination, marginalisation, and racism. Arvind is the leader of Asmita, Delhi's "most prolific theatre group",^[4] and is also an actor trainer, social activist, street theatre worker and story teller.^[5]

Gaur was the recipient of a research fellowship awarded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (India) (1997–98). He was on the guest faculty of Delhi University for Theatre in education program for three years. He has conducted many theatre workshops and performed in various colleges, institutions, universities and schools in India and abroad.^[6]

He has organized theatre workshops for children^[7] in schools and slums as well as street theatre performances on different socio-political issues.^[8][9] He has directed more than 60 stage plays over two decades.^[10]

Personal life

Born 2 February 1963 in Delhi. Arvind’s father late Shri Shiva Nandan Sharma (died on 16.04.09) was a Maths scholar and his mother Mrs. Saraswati Devi is a housewife. He has one brother Anil Gaur & three sisters – Shashi Prabha,late Mithlesh and Dr. Anita Gaur. His wife Dr. Sangeeta Gaur is a very talented vocalist, composer & music director. He has twin daughters Kakoli & Saveree.

Theatre career

After completing his schooling from Model School, Vivek Vihar in Delhi, he decided to study engineering in Electronic Communication from PUSA Institute. Later, he joined the Delhi Public Library drama group.^[10] In DPL He acted in and directed various plays. Then he worked with slum kids and industrial labours for some time and conducted workshops for them. His first street play was with Zakir Hussein College, called Videshi Aya. It became very popular and he staged it around 200 schools. After this, his desire to express led him to journalism. He worked with the Navbharat Times newspaper as Culture columnist for about four years.^[10]

Watching plays, reading about them and writing about them is how his training in theatre started. He then shifted to Press Trust of India (PTI-TV). He was associated with TV serial Tana-Bana. He was in charge of the research and programming there. All through his years with street theatre, print and television, Gaur had developed keen interest in direction. Finally, after devoting two years to PTI-TV he felt the urge to switch to theatre completely.^[11]

Theatre journey

Arvind's Debut play was Bhisham Sahni's Hanoosh (February,1993). He started his theatre journey with classics like Tughlaq, Andha Yug, Caligula (play), Julius Caesar (play)etc. He performed Girish Karnad's Tughlaq in a small basement theatre(SRC). It was a huge success. His Tughlaq was Selected as "the best play of the year 1994" by Sahitya Kala Parishad. He achieved greater heights during a decade in theatre. He trained actors in his own style. He trained them as a complete theatre person. Arvind Gaur also collaborated with various Theatre artists and Groups specially in exploring a new language for Solo performances.^[12]

Major Directions

• Girish Karnad's Tughlaq Translations by B. V. Karanth, Surekha Sikri & K.K. Nayyar
• Bhisham Sahni's Hanoosh
• Dharamvir Bharati's Andha Yug (The Age of Blindness)
• Swadesh Deepak’s Court Martial (450 shows)
• Govind Deshpande’s Antim Divas, translated in Hindi by Chandra kant patil
• Albert Camus's Caligula (play), Translation by Sharad Chandra
• Girish Karnad's Rakt Kalyan (Taledanda), Hindi Translation by Ram Gopal Bajaj
• Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle translated by Kamleshwar
• Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions, translation by Shahid Anwar^[13]
• Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms translated by Nadira Babbar
• Dario Fo's Operation Three Star, adaptaion of Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Amitabh Srivatava
• Dr. Narendra Mohan's Kalandar & Mr.Jinnah
• Bertolt Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan (Ramkali-Good woman of Delhi), adaptation by Amitabh Srivastava
• Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot, translation Krishna Bal Dev Vaid
• John Octanasek's Romeo Juliet and the darkness, script by Aishveryaa Nidhi
• Neil Simon's The Good Doctor, Adaptation - Sunil Jasuja, Sadia & Aparna Singh
• Vijay Tendulkar’s Ghashiram Kotwal^[14]
• Sharad Joshi's Andhon ka Hathi & Ek tha Gadha urf aladat Khan
• Munshi Premchand's Mote ram ka Satyagrah ,Adaptation by Habib Tanvir and Safdar Hashmi
• Ashok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi^[15]
• Nag Bodas's Amma Tujhe salaam^[16]
• Rajesh Kumar's Me Gandhi Bolto
• William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (play)
• Mahesh Dattani's Tara, translation by Neeraj Mallik
• Vijay Mishra’s Tatt Niranjana, translation by Rajendra Prasad Mishra
• Doodnath Singh's Yama Gatha^[17]
• Uday Prakash's Warren Hastings ka Saand
• Dr. Harish Naval's Peeli Chht par Kaala Nissan
• Bhisham Sahni's Kabira ( Kabir ) kheda Bazar Mai
• Mahesh Dattani's 30 Days in September, Hindi translation by Smita Nirula
• Bharatendu Harishchandra's Andher Nagri
• Harsh Mander's Unsuni, script by Mallika Sarabhai
• Rajesh Kumar's Ambedkar Aur Gandhi^[18][19]
• Mohan Rakesh's Leheron Ke Raj Hans
• Ahmedabad ki Aurat Bhali- Ramkali starring Mallika Sarabhai (34th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival)^[20][21]
• Gulzar's Kharaashein,play based on his poetries and stories
• Govind Purushottam Deshpande's Raastey
• Mahesh Bhatt's The Last Salute,written by Rajesh Kumar.Play based on Muntadhar al-Zaidi's Book.^[22]

Solo Play direction

• Bhisham Sahni ’s Madhavi solo play with Rashi Bunny^[23]
• Untitled, solo with Lushin Dubey (Theatre World)^[24][25]
• Manjula Padmanabhan's Hidden Fires, with Rashi Bunny^[26][27]
• Gandhari, solo with Aishveryaa Nidhi^[28]
• Sarah Kane's 4.48 Psychosis by Ruth Sheard^[29]
• Women in Black, one-woman show written & acted by Bubbles Sabharwal^[30]
• Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, one-woman show by Rashi Bunny^[31]
• Pinki Virani's Bitter Chocolate solo by Lushin Dubey^[32]
• Walking through the Rainbow, with Rashi Bunny
• Story of the Tiger, with Jaimini Kumar Srivastava
• A Woman Alone , solo with Ruth Sheard

Street Plays

He directed more than 25 Street Theatre performances on different Socio- political issues.^[33][34] Recently his group performed a series of "Anti Corruption " Street play in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) ROSA.^[35] and street play on "Decent Work for Domestic help" in collobration with ILO.^[36]

Awards

• Artists 4 Change Karmaveer Puraskaar Noble Laureates,2008 by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs
• Special Jury award for best play in experimentation with tradition the at International Solo Theatre Festival, Armenia,2004
• Colour of Nation Award at International Theatre Festival, Nizhnevartovsk, Russia for Solo Play Madhavi by Rashi Bunny,2005
• Radha Krishna Award for his contribution to Delhi’s art & culture,2007
• Udhbhav Shikhar Samman (In memory of Aacharya Vijyendra Sanathak),2008
• Swar-Dhrohar award ,2007

Work for Visual media

1. Acted in short film "Meri Jeevan ki Abhilasha" directed by Kriti Takkar which won 2nd best fiction film in "Mise-en-Scene", the international student’s film festival,2010.
2. Assistant director- Docu-film "In search of an ideology" Director-Prasanna for Doordarshan,Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,India
3. Worked with Press Trust of India (PTI-TV).
4. Acted in tele film "Dhabba" directed by Green Oscar awardee Mike Pandey, produced by Nafisa Ali.
5. Assistant director-Docu-film "Gokak" (V. K. Gokak),Director- Prasanna for Sahitya Akademi,Delhi
6. Research & Scripting for TV Serial"Taana -Bana "(1991–1992),produced by Press Trust of India

Translation and Scripting

Translation

• He translated Rabindranath Tagore's Visarjan (Sacrifice),Performed by the Darpana Theatre Group directed by Ujjwal Dave^[37]
• Arvind Gaur Translated Unsuni in Hindi;script and Direction by Mallika Sarabhai^[38]

Scripts

• He scripted plays like-Untitled,Gandhari,Bitter Chocolate(based on Pinki Virani's book),Madhavi solo play(based on Bhisham Sahni's play) and many street plays for Asmita Theatre.

Major Actors

Mallika Sarabhai and Arvind Gaur working on Bertolt Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan.

Major cinema and theatre actors who trained under Arvind Gaur are- Imran Zahid, Kangana Ranaut,^[39] Shilpa Shukla, Manu Rishi,Aishveryaa Nidhi, Deepak Dobriyal,Shakti Anand,Shalini Vatsa,Mohit Tripathi,Rajesh Bagotra ,Nandini Arora, Seema Azmi, Aparna Singh,Susan Brar,Ayesha Mohan etc

Prominent theatre actors who worked with him are- Mallika Sarabhai, Piyush Mishra, Rashi Bunny, Lushin Dubey ,Bubbles Sabharwal,Ruth Sheard,Jaimini Kumar etc^[40]

Designs

Arvind Gaur designs lights for Naya Theatre group's major productions under the Direction of Padma Shri Habib Tanvir.Arvind Gaur Also assisted Shri Habib Tanvir during the Prithvi Theatre Festival.He designs lights for Agra Bazar ( Nazir Akbarabadi's poetry),Charandas Chor (his masterpiece play , Edinburgh Fringe Award), Asghar Wajahat’s Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya ,Kamdeo ka Apna Basant Ritu ka Sapna (Habib Tanvir's adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream ),Canadian-Indian playwright Rahul Varma's Zahreeli Hawa and Gaon ke naon Sasural, mor naon Damand.

Further reading

1. "Arvind Gaur-A Decade in Theatre"-Book by J.N. Kaushal (Ex-Acting Chief, National School of Drama,Repertory Company,),Published by ITI (International Theatre Institute), UNESCO,Indian Chapter
2. "Raising the curtain on theatre"-Director Arvind Gaur Reflects on why India needs a cultural policy by Seema Sindhu(Life Fires,September,2007)
3. His Voice-"Ace Act" ,essay by Shekhar Chandran(New Women,Jan.2008)
4. "The World of Theatre" By Ian Herbert, Nicole Leclercq,(P-126) published by International Theatre Institute

References

1. ^ Nandini Nair (2008-05-03). "Walking the causeway". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/05/03/stories/2008050352620200.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
2. ^ Vatsala Shrivastava (2010-05-07). "Livewire, uninterrupted". The Asian Age. http://beta.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11624:livewire-uninterrupted&catid=48:culture-plus&Itemid=76. Retrieved 2010-05-08. 
3. ^ "Brechtfast in Ballimaran". Time Out Delhi. http://www.timeoutdelhi.net/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=73&source=1. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
4. ^ Trisha Gupta. "Super trouper". http://www.timeoutdelhi.net/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=18&source=1. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
5. ^ Neelima Menon (2008-04-27). "Staging Narratives-Storytelling session for visually impaired children". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/staging-narratives/302102/. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
6. ^ Stony Brook University (2004-10-14). "Untitled:A Solo Theatrical Performance by Lushin Dubey". Charles B.Wang Center. http://www.sunysb.edu/sb/wang/archives/fall2004/index.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
7. ^ Ishita Agarwal (2008-06-24). "Theatre tactics". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/yw/2008/06/24/stories/2008062450470600.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
8. ^ Kinni Chowdhry (2010-08-30). "It is not just a play". Hindustan Times. http://www.hindustantimes.com/It-is-not-just-a-play/Article1-593393.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
9. ^ "Teach India strikes the right chord". Times of India. 2008-07-14. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Teach_India_strikes_the_right_chord/articleshow/3229774.cms. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} "A treat for the senses". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2007-07-05. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/07/05/stories/2007070550770400.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
11. ^ Theatre Pasta (2007-10-08). "Nalina Mittra catches up with Arvind Gaur to find out more about his journey". Theatre Magazine. http://theatrepasta.com/?p=113. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
12. ^ Sites.google.com. "About Director-Arvind Gaur". http://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/Home/about-director. Retrieved 2008-12-30. 
13. ^ Deepa Punjani. "In Retrospect: Select plays of the 9th National Theatre Festival at Nehru Centre, Mumbai". mumbaitheatreguide.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20080424004449/http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/features/national_theatre.asp. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
14. ^ Rana A. Siddiqui (2001-12-07). "The fall of a shooting star". The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011207/ncr2.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
15. ^ Mohd Arshi Rafique (2009-03-04). "Cut above-About a common man,but no common play this". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/cut-above/430532/. Retrieved 2009-03-05. 
16. ^ Madhur Tankha (2007-08-25). "A tale of duplicity and deprivation". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/25/stories/2007082550370200.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
17. ^ Romesh Chander (2005-02-18). "Drama and mythology". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/02/18/stories/2005021801270300.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
18. ^ Romesh Chander (2009-08-20). "An ongoing dialogue". The Hindu. http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article6277.ece. Retrieved 2009-08-24. 
19. ^ P.ANIMA (2009-07-17). "A spirited adventure". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/07/17/stories/2009071750610300.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-22. 
20. ^ "34th Vikram Sarabhai International Art Festival". The Times of India. 2009-12-24. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Sarabhai-art-fest-from-Monday/articleshow/5371371.cms. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
21. ^ Dipanita Nath (2010-07-30). "The Difficulty of Being Good". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-difficulty-of-being-good/653709/0. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
22. ^ Neha Sen (2011-06-30). "Play-shoe-throwing incident comes to life again". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Play-that-captured-Bush-shoe-throwing-incident-comes-to-life-again/articleshow/9049571.cms/. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
23. ^ "Anand Foundation New Delhi". http://www.anandfoundation.com/zz_madhavi_4.asp. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
24. ^ Chitra Parayath (2003-04-06). "Untitled solo at Marlboro,New England". lokvani(Public Voice). http://www.lokvani.com/lokvani/article.php?article_id=949.. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
25. ^ Saumya Ancheri (2010-04-16). "A woman scorned". Time Out Mumbai. http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=234&source=1.. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
26. ^ Ankur Kalita (2004-07-29). "Solo for Peace". The Indian Express. http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=93268. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
27. ^ Pronoti Datta. (2006-04-15). "Riot act". Time Out. http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/theatre_details.asp?code=102&source=1. Retrieved 2010-04-12. 
28. ^ Staff reporter (2005-03-28). "For the love of showbiz". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/03/28/stories/2005032800980300.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
29. ^ Sumati Mehrishi Sharma (2005-12-31). "Mind Games". The Indian Express. http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=163553. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
30. ^ Mala Kumar (2003-05-12). "Missing the rainbow". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/05/12/stories/2003051201880300.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
31. ^ Naina Dey (2010-01-14). "Cult of subtle satire". The Statesman. http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=317189:cult-of-subtle-satire&catid=44:8th-day&from_page=search. Retrieved 2010-02-05. 
32. ^ Drama critic (2005-04-11). "An unspoken bitter truth". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/04/11/stories/2005041100650200.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
33. ^ Dipanita Nath. "Road Shows page -1". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/road-shows/603614/1. Retrieved 2010-04-11. 
34. ^ Dipanita Nath. "Road Shows page-2". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/road-shows/603614/2. Retrieved 2010-04-11. 
35. ^ "Street Plays to Raise Public Awareness on the occasion of International Anti Corruption Day". http://www.unodc.org/india/en/anti-corruption-day-street-plays.html. Retrieved 2008-12-30. 
36. ^ Staff Reporter (2009-12-23). "Portraying the plight of domestic helps". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/23/stories/2009122350670200.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-11. 
37. ^ Darpana Academy (2007-10-07). "Rabindranath Tagore's Visarjan (Sacrifice)". http://www.darpana.com/node/503. Retrieved 2008-12-30. ^{[dead link]}
38. ^ "Unsuni: Unheard Voices". Darpana. http://www.darpana.com/node/454. Retrieved 2008-12-30. ^{[dead link]}
39. ^ "Predominance arresting actress of the humanity Kangana Ranaut". The Trendy Style News. 29 August 2011. http://www.thetrendystyle.com/tendance/2011/09/predominance-arresting-actress-of-the-humanity-kangana-ranaut. Retrieved 2011-25-09. 
40. ^ Sites.google.com. "Prominent Actor's who worked with Arvind Gaur". http://sites.google.com/site/asmitatheatre/in-news/prominent-actor-s. Retrieved 2009-03-05. 

External links

1. The good man of Delhi stage by Archana (2008-09-26) Mail-Today.
2. Founder of Asmita Group, by Rohit Malik, Delhi Events (2008.12.30)
3. Gandhari, solo-act by Aishveryaa Nidhi
4. "All The World’s A Platform" by Shailaja Tripathi. Expressindia ,( 2003.09.17)
5. "Heal the wounds" by Rohini Ramakrishan,(2004/12/11), The Hindu
6. Dramatics Society of Lady Shri Ram College
7. "A plethora of problems afflicts Hindi theatre" Rana A Siddiqui, The Tribune.(2001.12.28)
8. "Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions"Oneness Peace Festival,Hindu College,University of Delhi(2005.09.16)
9. "Play of rules-Arvind Gaur's street theatre-Hatke Bachke"Nandini Nair,The Hindu (2009.01.12)
10. "Nobody’s Child-Bitter Chocolate"Express Features Service,The Indian Expres(2004.01.08)
11. "The Park’s The Other Festival"Onassis Awardee Manjula Padmanabhan's "Hidden fires"-The Museum Theatre,Chennai(2005.12.07)

Persondata
Name	Gaur, Arvind
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1963-02-02
Place of birth	Delhi, India
Date of death
Place of death