Chal Door Mere Man: Theatre as Activism with Lokesh Jain
‘My mother tongue is Hindustani and I would like to talk to you in that,’ was how Lokesh Jain began his session.
Lokesh Jain, who is a poet, playwright and theatre activist, was invited by the Department of English on Thursday, 15th March, 2018. He is also the founder and director of Jamghat, an organization of and for street children and creative director of the theatre group Mandala. This session was a lead-up to the department conference with the theme ‘Literature and/for Childhoods in Contemporary India’.
During the session, Lokesh Jain talked about his childhood, explored his idea of theatre, and explained how children are a big part of it. His session was very interactive and he also displayed some snippets from the various productions he had worked on with children. He has been involved in the theatre group called ‘Act 1’ and has also worked in Living Theatre Academy with Ebrahim Alkazi. His plays do not only show but also critique, comment and condemn several normalised injustices. Poetry and songs are important to his productions.
Lokesh Jain has made a space for his independent theatre concentrating on the stories gender- and caste-based discrimination as well as other discrimination faced by similarly marginalised groups. He is especially interested in giving voices to the children who face discrimination and violence not only on the basis of caste, class, gender, and religion but also find them self voiceless on account of being children.
Lokesh Jain says that children and childhood always find a way into his plays. His works such as Patri Par Bachpan, Hume Naaz Hai, Khushdam Khushdam, and Chal Door Mere Mann raise questions about and explore the needs and issues of children.
The audience in the session was quite moved and amazed by his contribution in the theatre. His session set the tone for the conference and also provided a valuable outlook on the idea of childhood(s) in India. BEing delivered in Hindi, Lokesh Jain’s account brought about a certain kind of inclusivity and perspective to a conference organised by the Department of English.
Shanna Jain, English IB
Lokesh Jain, who is a poet, playwright and theatre activist, was invited by the Department of English on Thursday, 15th March, 2018. He is also the founder and director of Jamghat, an organization of and for street children and creative director of the theatre group Mandala. This session was a lead-up to the department conference with the theme ‘Literature and/for Childhoods in Contemporary India’.
During the session, Lokesh Jain talked about his childhood, explored his idea of theatre, and explained how children are a big part of it. His session was very interactive and he also displayed some snippets from the various productions he had worked on with children. He has been involved in the theatre group called ‘Act 1’ and has also worked in Living Theatre Academy with Ebrahim Alkazi. His plays do not only show but also critique, comment and condemn several normalised injustices. Poetry and songs are important to his productions.
Lokesh Jain has made a space for his independent theatre concentrating on the stories gender- and caste-based discrimination as well as other discrimination faced by similarly marginalised groups. He is especially interested in giving voices to the children who face discrimination and violence not only on the basis of caste, class, gender, and religion but also find them self voiceless on account of being children.
Lokesh Jain says that children and childhood always find a way into his plays. His works such as Patri Par Bachpan, Hume Naaz Hai, Khushdam Khushdam, and Chal Door Mere Mann raise questions about and explore the needs and issues of children.
The audience in the session was quite moved and amazed by his contribution in the theatre. His session set the tone for the conference and also provided a valuable outlook on the idea of childhood(s) in India. BEing delivered in Hindi, Lokesh Jain’s account brought about a certain kind of inclusivity and perspective to a conference organised by the Department of English.
Shanna Jain, English IB