21st March, Mumbai: World Theatre Day is an international observance celebrated on 27 March. Initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute it is observed every year on March 27 by the international theatre community. Theatre was the original storytellers of human history in various forms. Shailja Kejriwal, an accomplished name in the Indian media and entertainment industry has added another dimension to the world of theatre by taking the onus of archiving Indian theatre in the form of teleplays with the aim of bringing forth and preserving the traditional, cultural, and literary roots of well-crafted stories and plays in our culture.
This innovation has been rewarded by the industry and the viewers alike. Shailja has transformed words on paper into powerful stories across various mediums. A university topper in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University, Kolkata she hails from an old-world neighbourhood in Kolkata and fell in love with theatre early on in life. Growing up she took a keen interest in the art form and its evolution. When she moved to the world of cinema and television she broke several stereotypes and formats and stood up for non-formulaic storytelling. Shailja is one of the rare few who bring creativity, commerce, and cause together. After breaking a few hundred formula storytelling formats with Zee Zindagi she achieved a different level of success with Zee Theatre.
Her belief in the power of storytelling as the most significant catalyst for societal evolution has inspired her to develop a repertoire of path-breaking content, that brought cross countries together on a single platform for the first time in over 60 years. Shailja’s work speaks volumes about her commitment to showcasing an amalgam of culture, traditions, and society through art. With Zee Theatre, she has revived and cataloged Indian theatre, revolutionizing content viewing in India. It was commended for being the first-of-its-kind initiative to bring the nuanced art to a wider audience through television. Launched in 2015, Zee Theatre presented over eighty thought-provoking teleplays, including Sir Sir Sarla, Ladies Sangeet, Ma Retire Hoti Hai, Saku Bai, Vaastav, and Doll’s House, among others.
As discussed over our call, I wanted to explore an interview with Shailja Kejriwal on her views about theatre industry in India and the role the mass entertainment industry can play in creating a space for the unique traditional storytelling formats that varies across various cultures and languages.
Also attached is Shailja Kejriwal’s profile for your kind perusal. Let me know if you would be keen on taking this up and I will schedule a chat with Shailja this week for the same at a mutually convenient time.