Standing up for Theatre Artists in Patiala

Patiala : Standing up for theatre artists in Patiala, a citybased thespian couple has built an open-air theatre on their small piece of land in Sekhpura Enclave here. This theatre can be used by artistes to rehearse and perform for free. Government teachers by profession, Rajinder Kaur and Nirbhay Singh Dhaliwal shelled out Rs 3.25 lakh and worked hard for three months to build their dream theatre. The theatre has a stage measuring 25 by 10 ft and a green room built on a 100 square yard plot. The Dhaliwals said they would improve on the facilities as and when they could arrange the money. They plan to organise a play on the second Saturday of every month and let artistes use it whenever they liked. “My husband has been devoted to theatre right from his college days. I too became passionate about this art form 10 years ago, when I married him. Since then, the idea of having our own theatre has been haunting us,“ said Rajinder Kaur. The theatre was inaugurated on Monday by the doyen of Punjabi theatre, Gursharan Singh, better known as Bhai Manna Singh in the world of Punjabi theatre.

The couple's nine-yearold-son Joban, after whom the theatre has been named Joban Open Air Theatre, is ecstatic at the window of opportunities it will open for him. “He is delighted, he loves to step up on the stage and perform with us. There is no such place available in the city, except one at Punjabi University, Patiala, but that too is on rent. This makes it difficult for our artistes, who have financial constraints,“ Nirbhay Singh said. Nirbhay has been playing an active role to highlight the issue of female foeticide and has also written a play on the subject. The Dhaliwals are associated with the People's Theatre, Amloh.  Punjabi playwright Balram Sharma donated Rs 5,100 to the theatre.