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Mumbai: Theatre enthusiasts living in the suburbs can rejoice. Starting from September 3, Fame Cinema is going to theatre festival by showing theater plays at its Malad premises every Wednesday. Being the first multiplex to organise something of this sort, the three plays that have been slotted for the initial phase - Vagina Monologue, All About Women and Namak Mirch. Each play will be shown twice at 7 pm and 9 pm.
Aditya Shroff, assistant vice-president, programming, distribution and corporate sales, Fame Cinema, says that the purpose behind sharing the multiplex with theater troupes is to give suburban people an outlet to watch and enjoy plays.
"There are no theaters in the entire suburb, except Prithvi, which has limited seats. Besides, people don't bother to travel so far to catch up on a play. So, we thought why not give people in Malad and nearby areas an outlet to watch plays, nearby. Also, the plays which we have organised, till now, have done quiet well."
The multiplex chain is not new to the concept of holding plays in its premises. It has played host to more than 15 shows of Vagina Monologue in Malad and Andheri, which have gone house full.
Currently in an experimental phase, the festival is scheduled only for September. But Shroff says, "We plan to organise it on a continuous basis after seeing the response." The plays will be shown at the 420-seater screen, as it has a stage in front of the screen.
Even play directors are excited and are viewing it as a new platform to showcase their plays. Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal of Vagina Monologue fame, believes that multiplexes are a good venue to showcase her plays.
"Theatres like Sofias, NCPA and St Andrews act as though they are the second censor board and don't allow plays which they believe are inappropriate," says Kotwal, adding, "Actually, multiplex audience understand the plays much better." Although, staging plays in multiplexes has its limitations like not up-to-the-par lighting effect and space. "You can't have elaborate productions there. But if you have a good script, you can show the play with simple set too," she says.
Even Akarsh Khurana, producer of Namak Mirch and All About Women, feels that there is no rigidity in showing plays in any venue. Having staged shows in multiplexes before, Khurana is confident that people are going to watch the plays at the multiplex and will eventually make theater-going popular.
"I think it's a novel idea and will add variety in offering entertainment," says Khurana, who as co-written U, Me Aur Hum and Krrish.
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