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from its inception till 1930, ‘Social
Club’ alias ‘Bharat
Natya Samshodhan Mandir’ was performing
famous plays with the intention of public entertainment
as well as for raising funds for socially charitable
institutions. In 1935, the National Dramatics
Meet (Bharat Natya Sammelan) No. 27 was held in
Pune. On this occasion it was thought that the
Institution should set up a drama training class.
The thought was brought into execution in 1962
when a dramatic training class was started under
the leadership of Mrs Vimaltai Sathe. But the
effort was rather half-hearted and ran doddering
for a year and a half. But, from 1966 drama critic
Dr.R.S.Walimbe and Prabhakar Gupte continued the
class very consistently and it is going on till
today. Rajabhau Phadnis and Jayantkumar Tribhuvan
organized the class well.
The class gives formal training in dramatics
to young men and women. A fine blend of Bharat
Munis’ Natya Shastra and Stanislavaski’s
dramatic technique teaches students drama on physical,
intellectual and psychological level. Training
is imparted about tne human body, voice culture,
yoga through actual demonstrations. The curriculum
includes a study of Sanskrit, Marathi, English
thetre, their history, basic schools of fine arts
etc.
A study of the stage, play writing, play direction,
acting and technical aspects of the theater such
as acoustics, lighting, make-up, setting and costumes
is a part of the training course. Eminent experts
from various fields of the theater are invited
to the class and training is imparted through
their speeches, discussions etc. The course of
6 months’ duration has until now trained
thousands of theater-persons many of whom have
become very successful in professional as well
as amateur theater. The Institution is thinking
of linking this drama training course formally
to some University and of making it more authentic.
The course students can avail of the facilities
such as the library of the Institution and they
have all the books at their disposal. Eminent
theater personalities have, time and again, graced
Bharat’s drama training classes and have
offered their valuable guidance to the students.
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Music
and Dance Division
It has already been mentioned elsewhere that
the Institution did pioneering work in the field
of prose Marathi theater when the musical Marathi
theater was at its pinnacle. Around 1965
– 70, the prose Marathi theater
was on the rise and today it is certainly far
more popular than the musical theater. On this
back-ground, Bharat has retained, preserved and
grown the tradition of musical Marathi theater
by performing musical plays consistently. Previously,
producing such plays was a difficult task due
to lack of finances. Since, 1970 the Club’s
own theater has become a good source of income
for Bharat and the problem of finance was solved.
Vocal singing, playing of instruments
and dance are the basic, foundational requirements
of musical plays. Considering this, Baburao Vijapure
thought of having a separate wing for training
youth in music and dance in a classical and systematic
way. With his initiative, regular classes for
kathhak dancing and singing started in Bharat.
Balasaheb Gokhale, an exponent and expert in the
Benaras style of Kaththak took the responsibility
of dance training since the inception of the Music
and Dance Division, till 1982. Since 1982, his
disciple Jaffer Mulla has handled the Division
very efficiently, till today. The Division has
supplied a number of singers and instrument players
and dancers to take part in the Institution’s
musical plays. The Division offers training at
nominal fees and the Club has made arrangements
that its students can appear for examinations
of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and Tilak Vidyapeeth.
Due to this tie up, ‘Bharat’s students
of this Division can excel in the fine arts till
university level. The Institution has been granted
status of Official Examination Center for such
examinations. For some time, the training in singing
was given by Janubhau Marathe who had lived in
the company of Balgandharva. After the demise
of Y.R.Karandikar, Mrs. Karandikar looks after
the training and Pandurang Mukhde teaches the
Tabla.
In addition to the traditional training in these
fine arts, the Institution arranges training
workshops, speeches and seminars
of experts in different fields etc. On
the foundation day of the Division, students present
their art. The Division has received guidance
by eminent artists such as Chota Gandharva,
Jaimala Shiledar etc.
This Music and Dance Division,
although sprang out of necessity, today has become
a well-developed center for fine arts and has
offered valuable contribution in the field of
theater and art. The Division has added to Bharat’s
name and fame.
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