TLI Staff
New Delhi: In the era of digitisation, where even literature is being adapted for visual audience, the art of storytelling is fast vanishing. But there are few people like Kamal Pruthi, also known in the world of storytelling as Kabuliwala, who are trying to make a difference by exploring new forms of storytelling and reviving the interest of people, especially children in it.
Kabuliwala’s latest work, The Land of Snake Charmers, a musical is on the lives of the Snake Charmers.
The renowned storyteller who conducts workshops and storytelling events across the country and even abroad for adults and children is committed to bringing out fresh themes to keep people’s interest alive in theatre and storytelling constantly by developing new formats of the art.
Like in The Land of Snake Charmers, the Saperas from the Nath community of India would be seen impressing the audiences with their spellbinding act. Interestingly, their performance is being appreciated by global and Indian audiences alike and they have travelled to 30 countries for this.
As for Kabuliwalla, he carries a jhola full of stories, shakes it up a little bit and creates magic with his exuberance, creativity and love for his art.
In a conversation with Top Lead India, Kamal Pruthi opens up on his latest project, The Land of Snake Charmers and more.
Tell us something about The Land of Snake Charmers, your latest work.
Land of Snake charmers is my actual accidental creation of 2019 and I’m extremely delighted to present this to you to my larger audiences. I am hopeful that it will grow and reach the masses. The texture of the show is 80% musical, 10% engagement, 10% Quizzical and 10% Biotheatre.
What exactly is a biotheatre? Could you please elucidate.
If a Biopic is possible, so is Bio theatre. Well if a film is made on the life of somebody, it is called a biopic and if a live theatrical show is made on the lives of the Saperas, it can also be called a Biotheatre.
Who is your target audience for the Snake Charmer musical?
Well, 90 per cent people on the social media think that the Kabuliwala shows are only for children. This is a stereotypical impression made about us, but we are doing enough to break this stereotype by projecting more and more of our artistic works which are for family audiences and also there are some shows which are for adults only. LOSC is for all age groups, from 0 to 100 and even unborn.
How has been the response to the musical on Snake Charmers so far?
There were few people on the wheel chairs, sitting quietly and watching the show, completely mesmerized by the rhythms being played on the Been, Tumba and Dhol. Then there were unmarried couples, happy to do nagin dance and announce their wedding at the show.
What can we learn from the snake charmer tradition of India or the Saperas who spread this tradition?
The musical show deals with the myths and the realities of snakes, the snake charmers, idiomatic use of language around snakes and the musical instruments. Bollywood films around snakes and the snake charmers.
Are their actual snakes in the show? Or do they come out when the Been is played?
Well, let this be a surprise for the audience. They will have many such hundreds of questions which they would like the answers to.
Tell us more about conceiving process or the concept of the show? How did you come up with such a unique idea of creating a show with and on the Snake Charmers?
As a child I used to be the one who always ran the fastest as soon as I heard the sound of Been and a Sapera was in the street. Indigenous Street Performers have always mesmerized me. Two months ago a friend of mine had bought tickets of the play Pollution Hazir Ho by director Dr. M. Sayeed Alam. She fell ill and requested me to use her tickets and watch the show. I went there with the intentions of meeting up Alam Saheb after a long time. And during the show, which had all the Bahrupiyas acting, there were these 4 out of our 6 Sapera Musicians also giving background score.
Their performance was hardly 5 per cent in the entire show but completely electrifying and charging and they could be seen only during scene changes and transitions. I loved their musical renditions and started thinking of my reliving my childhood. My eyes went completely bright whenever they performed on stage. And rest is the history. Few days after the show I contacted Dr. Alam and asked for the contact of the Saperas and showed interest of performing with them. Dr. Alam’s only condition of sharing the contact was “Pay them well”.
Is LOSC musical show intended to be performed also for the international audience? Is it relevant to them?
India is known as the land of the Snake Charmers and International audiences always know some or the other myths around snake charmers of India. So, yes, it’ll be super fun performing and interacting with the international audiences, but our first target is to cater to our very own Indian audiences.
Does the audience like that of Delhi know about the snake charmer culture? How do they react to it?
Oh, not just Delhi, but everywhere in India until 90s everybody has seen enough Snake Charmers in their streets and in their childhoods. Everyone connects well.
Is there any dance also in the show?
Yes, Tumba Dance and Nagin Dance competitions are super hits among audiences. We go with the flow and mood of the audiences and accordingly open the cards one after the other.
How important is such cultural exposure to our kids. We know that they should know about the country. What does it do to their roots?
Very important for them to see all this than growing up with a mobile phone in their hands.
As an actor, how well do you connect with your roots?
I have experienced all the rustiness in my life and I’m very well connected with my roots. And I thoroughly enjoy the presence of indigenous street performers.
How much of your personality is visible in the show? I mean Kabuliwala, Sheikh Habibi, Mullah Nasruddin or Seedha Sada Kisaan, which character will be visible here? Which avatar will you come in?
Either as Sapera or Kamal Pruthi or perhaps both.
What other shows related to culture of India is Kabuliwala Productions is planning?
Next in cards is Jashne Ganga where 6 Sapera Musicians and I delve deep into the birth, life and times, threats and the Bollywood connection of the Ganga river through the magical and hypnotizing rhythms of Been, Tumba and Dhol. JashneGanga celebrates the existence of the world’s biggest river through the logics of mythology, politics, science, music, quiz, stand-up comedy, conservation and Tumba dance.
In your other Majme, what kinds of musical instruments do you use? Like Sheikh Habibi, Mullah Nasruddin, Aaina etc.
Indian classical instruments mainly. We have used everything and will go to any level. Harmonium, Tabla, Djembe, Cajon, Ektara, Shankh, Manjeere, Dafali. I’m open to musicians coming up to me with whatever they know and I’ll incorporate it nicely in the context of the shows, keeping the Indianness intact.
What makes you happy and satisfied with the show?
Happy and curious faces of my audiences.
Any challenges you faced during the making of the show?
With this one. Nothing at all. Everything fell rightly on my lap. And audiences became fan.