Spandan Docu Theatre

Spandan's heart beats for reality plays

Suruchi Mazumdar 

Former Union minister George Fernandes' links with the Al Qaeda and the bombing of the World Trade Centre (2001) — theatre group Spandan's forthcoming production revolves around such controversial issues.
Prayer for Peace in the begining of 16 Millimeter.
The group's earlier plays like Ground Zero, 16 MM and Operation Flush have also been grounded in contemporary events.
Published in Hindustan Times on 09 June 2005.
Two and a half years of research has gone into our new production. The play will be staged next month," says playwright and director Sangram Guha. "Theatre is a medium for disseminating correct information. The actors are enacting real life characters," he adds. Started in 1990. the 35-production-old Spandan, however, has also staged fiction. 16 MM (2004), its most recent play, was based on the trial of SAR Geelani (the Delhi University professor. one of prime accused in the Parliament attack case, who has since been acquitted). It raked up controversy as the play plainly suggests that the Parliament attack was not a simple terrorist attack. "There had been an attack on Geelani when we arrived in Delhi to perform the play. I received threatening phone calls after a few shows. It took us a while to resume performance”, says Guha. “We spoke to the police, criminal lawyers and even the CBI to develop the content of 16 mm. It emerged from in-depth research that strengthened our belief that in recent times terrorism has been used to weaken democracy even by the state," he says. adding that 16 MM has had 61 shows till now.