Malika Taneja is a solo theatre artist from Delhi who performs acts all over the world. She is currently in Australia to participate in ASIATOPA and perform at Art Centre Melbourne. She has also been part of the two week residency of Women Arts and Politics at the Footscray Community Arts Centre as part of Women of the World Festival.
On the occasion of World Theatre Day, Malika talks to SBS Punjabi about her love of theatre and the importance of the same in today’s society.
Malika started theatre in school and was influenced by her parents who had a background in theatre too. She feels strongly about contemporary social and political issues, especially around women and finds that theatre is a great medium to express these views to the rest of the world.
On being asked about performing solo and the pressure of it, she admitted that it is certainly more pressure on a solo artist to hold the attention of the audience throughout the performance, but said that she thoroughly enjoys the experience and that at some level, even a solo performance is a collaborative effort of the director, lights men etc.
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In today’s digital age where entertainment is readily available at the tips of our fingers, where does theatre stand?
Malika admits that the digital world has produced a different kind of breed of people amongst us and that in terms of the audiences, it has changed. However in terms of what theatre does and its importance for human beings, she believes the place is the same as it used to be.
“If the society can be defined as a collective of people, then I think the concept of collective has been readily taken away thanks to the digital age……this makes the society very isolated. But this is something that cannot happen with theatre because theatre is a collective experience, people have to come together to watch it, there is a sense of community”
Malika’s latest performance is called “Thoda Dhyan Se”.
“Thoda Dhyan Se is a satirical piece that challenges this notion of safety. I expose the contradictions at the heart of India's stunted social progress,”
“It is risky to do such a performance. But each time I perform this act, I am surprised at how receptive the people are. I have never faced hostility from any audience. And the more I perform, the more acceptance I get from audiences all over,"
Thoda Dhyan Se is funny as well as a bold play.
