“Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.” – Bruce Garrabrandt
And as the world suffered the monotonous and mundane routine of the Lockdown, a new burst of ideas was taking shape on the streets of New Delhi. An urge of a school teacher turned editor and author to return and rebond with the young children, led to the inception of Kartab Theatre by Nidhi Kundra. Until this dream became a reality, one would only wonder if there was a limit to possibilities, but then when the ichinen (Jp. for determination) is strong, nothing is impossible.
Kartab Theatre was formerly launched on 31st May, 2020, to create a movement to identify the hidden talent in young children from across the Indian sub-continent and also, to bring a whiff of fresh air to all the children whose energy and enthusiasm had been locked down by the dreaded pandemic. As Kartab Theatre nears its two month anniversary, it has already touched the hearts of thousands of young children. Children in the age group of 5 to 14 years have already participated and performed on the platform.
StoryTelling Competitions (Grades 1-2 and Grades 3-5)
Both parents and the children welcomed the competitions with great enthusiasm from all across the country and we also saw participation from Qatar. The entries ranged from cities like Dehradun, Jaipur, Pune and Chennai. These events were conducted on ZoomApp and shared live on Facebook. There was an overwhelming response from the online audience and their desire to watch more kept the fire burning!
The Mahabharata Revisited (Written & Directed by Nidhi Kundra)
The first original creation of Kartab Theatre was the play — The Mahaabharata Revisited, in comedy genre. The characters of Mahabharata taken in the script depicted the common human behaviour to Mother Earth. It was also a satire based in modern Indian courts where the law is often played at, in the hands of those who are in fact, the guardians of the law. The play was screened online and received tremendous accolades and appreciation; and is still available for view on social media accounts of Kartab Theatre.
The concept of online theatre is not new but Kartab Theatre has made it interactive both for the participants and the viewers. A hint of comedy brings a respite from the otherwise gloomy reality. Kartab Theatre believes that as nourishment is to the body; happiness is to the soul. The times are tough and witnessing the dull situation at home, tougher for these young children. In the middle of this storm, Kartab Theatre only attempts to create space for these little ones to blossom.
