All about the Junoon

Towards the end of our 45minute conversation we asked Sanjna Kapoor how she switches off in the city I do not want to switch off when I am in Bombay mdash it is my highenergy fix once a month and I love it Remember I live in Delhihellip she chuckled Her reply didnt surprise us entirely In fact it was a fitting signoff post the buzz of activity that we had experienced mdash and the passion mdashthat she and cofounder Sameera Iyengar infuse and strive to create which is to make Junoon a panIndian theatre movementSanjna KapoorTheatre callEarlier as we settled into our chat with Kapoor at the Junoon office in Versova a few factors were quite obvious to the visitor Commitment is king Time is precious Personal input is sacrosanct We jog Kapoors memory a bit to the previous week when 17 theatre professionals graduated from SMART Indias first batch It was a delightful feeling not one of sadness India does not have theatre managers theatre groups lack training so this was a big step for all of usSMART Indias first batch of graduates at their graduation ceremony that was held in Mumbai last week PicTushar SatamSameera held it all together plus we had experts like Arundhati Ghosh Sunil Shanbhag Swati Apte and Sudhanva Deshpande who helped make this happen she reminisces glowing with pride The idea of bringing together individuals and groups as diverse as a 60yearold from Tamil Nadu and a young group from Pune or Nashik gave us immense satisfaction she adds in between sips of chai from a mug with Junoon printed on itSoon Kapoor and Iyengar will dive into preparations for the next batch of managers The call goes out in January 2016 she informs us Besides we intend to have a conclave every alternate year Ten years ago if I mentioned words like corporate or management in sync with theatre it was looked down upon Today we need to incorporate these skills to empower theatre people Its about serving the arts she asserts Kapoor fills us in on how she hopes to develop the faculty for next year and beyond where SMART India alum can pitch in as well By now even we have gotten used to the continuous whir of the office Its organic and possibly integral to a space that thrives on theatreSameera Iyengar and Sanjna Kapoor are in splits in the middle of a busy day at the office PicsRane AshishNSD callingTheres more for Junoon to cheer about We have been invited by CCRT Centre for Cultural Resources and Training to take this short course for National School of Drama graduates Iyengar tells us Junoon was approached after the work at SMART India programme reached CCRT While NSD students are equipped with the creative training process this fiveday course slated to begin in October is to introduce them to other aspects of theatre in the form of workshops she adds This will include halfday modules the legal side to theatre setting up their own theatres she tells us as we gauge the palpable excitementJunoon so farI always knew that Junoon would be powered by our passion mdash to create a world that values the arts and where society can have easy access to it There needs to be a realisation that the arts are meant for everyone Kapoor tells us retracing the journey since 2012 In our rapidly urbanising country where is the chance to engage in richness of our arts We need festivals and a constant engagement at the local level she reiterates Iyengar echoes her thoughts Wouldnt it be wonderful if people could step out of their homes to walk into a play right in their neighbourhood Junoons path has been impulsive and intuitive with loads of fun While we were unsure of the form I think Sanjna and I were pretty clear about the kind of experiences we wanted to create when we started she elaborates At this point Kapoor makes an interesting observation For this to happen theatre owners have to be committed to theatre After all this is a developing society and the idea of arts is still new to many Almost as if reading our mind she turns the clock back recalling her parentsShashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendals influence on theatre Shakespearana was all that Junoon is hoping to embody It gives me inspiration on how to create a programme based on rich experiences around India Kapoor believesStart from schoolThe school contact programme is another area where Junoon has made inroads not just in Mumbai but in cities like Patna and Ludhiana Its a tough proposition and is loaded with hurdles Getting into Tier II cities is always a challenge but from Day One weve met with a spirit of openness which is terrific Kapoor says rattling off a few enthusiastic encounters in these citiesMaking it betterOur fixed question to people from the arts is why cant Mumbai have more To this Kapoor offers a logical solution We need to make friends with people in the government so it becomes easier to explain our situation Its also crucial to educate ourselves about governance systems thereby empowering ourselves Most importantly we should build lasting systems that support each other She admits that being in theatre is easier With Valmiks Thapar her husband environmentalist field its tougher Its nearing 11 am and Sanjna Kapoor needs to take our leave for a team meeting But not before telling us that childrens theatre is looking promising in India We have every reason to believe her