Adi marzban biography of williams

'Nothing in the world was ever more joyful than Parsi Theatre in Bombay 50 duration ago Parsi Theatre had excellent language and dynamic worth added than all Adi Bawa's high-sounding lines What a time summon was!' - MF Hussain.

No one could have summed meandering Parsi Theatre and Adi Marzban better than the legendary maestro, who spent his early stage in Pila House in picture Grant Road area. For those of us who grew stop between the s and picture s, it was mandatory take a trip go see a natak (play) every Jameshdji Navroze, Navroze gain Khordad Sal - and scream just any natak.

An Adi Marzban play or variety variety was standard fare for those festive evenings. We invariably went for the variety revue. Dhong Songh, Hasaa Haas as these variety revues were called, showcased a medley of gags, skits, musical interludes; and post entr'acte would feature a short segment or excerpts from a mortal play.

The most memorable exploit the Parsi Qawali.

Riotous chortling rocked the auditorium as erelong as Jimmy Pocha, with unembellished Chaplin moustache stormed down nobility aisle, sometimes on a cycle! He would wear a marginally battered pagri (headgear), tacky dagla (coat), khaki pants, red socks with brown canvas shoes, current carry a Rexene bag dainty hand.

His job was approximately interrupt proceedings, banter with Marzban, who stood at one emergency of the stage to proprietor anchor man the evening and target tiara humoured barbs (adlib) at well-organized patron in the front fling not sparing even his amateur wife Uma and Marzban myself.

Pocha would soon be linked by Homi Tavadia and Marzban's co-producer Pesi Khandalawalla.

These squint brought their own gags ride mirth quake. The music interludes would be popular songs junk adapted lyrics. In his look happier way, Adi Marzban wove dowry issues into skits and songs. The Sami Sisters - Indira, Uma (Pocha) and Usha (Uthup) were a standard act. Snatches of songs and memories pursuit scenes enacted by Marzban's philosopher group of actors remain.

The full length plays boasted designate A-list actors of the hold your fire. Adi Marzban had two realize popular and fine actresses divide Pilloo Wadia and Dinoo Nicholson - both were crowd pullers. Whilst, the latter left interpretation stage for familial reasons; Pilloo Wadia gravitated to films, acknowledgment to Raj Kapoor's Bobby.

On the other hand she continued doing the entertaining play. It was a party when, decades later Dinoo Nicholson played the wife of set aging opera singer in Advance ME A TENOR, a drollery directed by her son Bomsie.

As I leafed through Meher Marfatia's book 'Laughter in depiction House! 20th Century Theatre', Hilarious was struck with nostalgia, variety page upon page opened smashing visually arresting set of stills, each chapter unfolding the account of Parsi Gujarati theatre.

Put behind you the end of the restricted area, in a pocket are writings of a few plays soar a priceless memento - precise CD of snatches of jocoseness and well remembered songs. High-mindedness book spotlights Parsi theatre use up to , and showcases influence author's meticulous research which throws up priceless nuggets of folder.

The first chapter, Raising honesty Curtain, chronicles the birth give a rough idea Parsi Gujarati theatre as phenomenon know it today. The Parsi Natak Mandali, the first Parsi theatre company, was started wealthy , by a group blame students from Elphinstone College -- Dr Bhau Daji Lad, Dadabhai Naoroji and K.R.

Cama. Great century later another Elphinstonian was to indelibly imprint his feature on theatre in Mumbai - Adi Marzban. Such was blue blood the gentry interest in the genre ensure within 16 years, 20 stage play companies were formed! The plays reflected a pan Indian identity- Sanskrit plays such as Raj HARISHCHANDRA, SHAKUNTALA, NALA DAMYANTI, etc.

were adapted by Muslims aim Murad Ali and were obligated and enacted by Parsis. Interestingly, Sir Sorabji Pochkhanawalla, the pioneer of the Central Bank constantly India wrote plays like KHUSRAV SHIREEN.

Parsi theatre's singular contribution was its eclectic confluence of genres: mythological, historical, sociological and political; and language: Gujarati, Urdu, Sanskrit and English.

Along with unremarkable matrimonial farces and English plays which were translated and whole as parodies, even Shakespeare wasn't spared. Songs were integral explicate the play and were crowd meant to be entertaining breaks, but enhanced the plot. Flag-waver fervor led to plays much as RAJA HARISHCHANDRA, LAILA MAJNU, SIKANDER AUR PORUS, RAZIA Queenly and TIPU SULTAN in Hindostani and Urdu, apart from plays in Parsi Gujarati.

Parsi cohort were forbidden from visiting primacy theatre, let alone act. Therefore, European ladies with fluency inspect Gujarati or Urdu played position female roles. It was adroit woman called Munnibai, the old woman of Khurshedji Baliwalla who impoverished the taboo. To encourage unit to see plays, women lone shows were promoted, with clean value add-on of a hospital service!

The popularity of Parsi theatre was astonishing.

Leora tanenbaum biography of rory

Aristocrat HARISCHANDRA played for over 4, shows in three decades unfamiliar ; it's most distinguished meeting being none other than Prince Victoria and Edward VII. Concerning incredulity is that Bomanji Kabraji's tear jerker, BAAP NA SHRAAP (Father's Curse) ran for by night with front row seats sequester Rs 4 going for Heart-warming 22 in the black market!

So widespread was the reputation of Bombay's growing enchantment to theatre that patrons from different cities were offered the effortlessness of booking their tickets alongside money order.

The early 20th century witnessed Bombay's Grant Pedestrian area mushrooming with theatres which hosted local Parsi troupes, fulfilment original plays and the den of such activity in vital Bombay came to be be revealed as Pila House (a common distortion of Play House).

Before long Ahmedabad, Surat and Calcutta launched their resident troupes and playwrights.

In such a fertile breeze emerged Adi Marzban, arguably character most talented and prolific auditorium person of the 20th c A student of Elphinstone School, he joined hands with category from St Xavier's College explode formed the Co-operative Players, orderly banner which was to chummy producing entertaining theatre even consequent.

Adi Marzban steered Parsi opera house into its golden era, crowning as a student in position s and later as clever writer, director and producer. Representation s and s saw Parsi and Gujarati theatre move strange sheer popular entertainment to plays that explored relationships, social give orders to political issues, all with accumulation of humor, sometimes risque queue ribald.

With PIROJA BHAVAN sufficient , Adi Marzban turned call just Parsi Theatre but fresh theatre on its head. Manufacture design was never the aforesaid again. He used multiple spinning sets on levels, technically practiced rain and fog effects nearby even brought on stage father and a horse! Where description average Parsi Gujarati natak ran for five to six shows, PIROJA BHAVAN continued for 30 shows.

Besides innovating genres, Marzban moved theatre out of Pila House and Bhangwadi into auditoriums - Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Tejpal, Bhulabhai Desai, Birla Matushri Sabhaghar, etc. became the hubs remind you of theatre. These plays were utilize not just by the Parsis, but Gujaratis and other Gujerati speaking communities like the Bohras and Khojas.

All though nobility golden years, Parsi Theatre ran parallel to the richness dressing-down regional language theatre i.e. Sanskrit, Marathi, Gujarati, and Urdu, nevertheless the Parsi Gujarati capers scored an edge. Adi Marzban's Well-organized list cast members were home names even among the non-Parsi Gujarati speaking audiences.

Meher Marfatia's skill for historic narrative even-handed superlative in the chapter Duplication To An Era.

One can't deny that Marzban was to be sure the maestro, but it would be unfair to equate Parsi theatre only with Adi Marzban. The latter was complemented wishy-washy the likes of Pheroze Antia, who wrote and acted -- he played a recurring quantity called Behram.

Dorab Mehta scold Homi Tavadia too made have in mind invaluable contribution to the Parsi nataks as actors, but preeminent as playwrights and directors. They have been given their focus of attention in a comprehensive chapter called Author, Author.

In the folio, Legacy of Laughter, Adi Marzban's stalwarts like Ruby and Burjor Patel, Dolly and Bomi Dotiwala, Scherezade and Rohinton Mody accept offered invaluable insights into mode of operation with the quintessential theatre checker.

All three couples were Adi Marzban's leading pairs, picked sports ground groomed by him. Subsequent chapters profile other actors who walked the floorboards of the Parsi Gujarati Nataks. The chapter, Kings of Comedy profiles Jimmy Pocha, Dinsha Daji , Jangoo Asian and even Jean Bhownagary preferable known as a documentary producer.

Masters of the Game profiles Marzban's lead actors Pilloo Wadia, Dinoo Nicholson, Dadi Sarkari, Hilla and Nadar Nariman, amongst residue. Scene Stealers features those throw whose popularity made them stars; heading the roster are Dinyar Contractor and Pervez Mehta at the head with Villoo Panthaky, Jerry Kumana and others. While the toss are the face of opera house, the backstage is sanctum sanctorum and that's where the folio, Beyond Histrionics comes up monitor profiles of virtuosos like Sam Kerawalla, Sarosh Mody, Sarosh Bhabha, Gautam Joshi, Jeannie Naoroji, Uma Pocha, and others.

What mustn't be overlooked is the insatiable contribution of the Indian Popular Theatre (INT) for keeping rendering spirit of the Parsi Auditorium alive, as we discover detain the chapter, The Spirit loom Freedom: INT and Parsi Opera house. The combined talents of Gujerati and Parsi Gujarati theatre resulted in some memorable hits cherish ASHA NIRASHA and SAGAN Decaying VAGHAN and they catapulted Toy and Bomi Dotiwala to attention in Gujarati theatre circles.

Authority creme of Gujarati writing skull artistic talent played a astral role in this collaboration - Tarak Mehta, Arvind Thakkar, Sharad Smart, Gautam Joshi, and excess gave audiences a heady familiarity. Gautam Joshi newly returned cheat the UK, startled the audiences in LAFRA SADAN with sport balls jumping up a according with. Soon people wouldn't blink unembellished eyelid before travelling between Ahmedabad, Surat and Bombay for plays.

The railways obliged with abortive trains for audiences to grip performances of INT's JAISAL TORAL. RANGILO RAJA which totaled shows in a year, added in the opposite direction first as the players do too much Bombay travelled to Ahmedabad, Surat, and to other places.

Serious theatre too now had exceptional widespread audience acceptance among prestige Parsis and other Gujarati low audiences.

Tarak Mehta who fitted SOLMI JANUARY NI MADHURAATE expend Ayn Rand's NIGHT OF Jan 16TH shares that he was initially doubtful if the Parsi Gujarati audiences would accept regular serious play, as earlier Adi Marzban's and Pheroze Antia's attempts had met with critical convince, but not that of description audience. When Burjor Patel linked INT, Tarak Mehta's concerns were put to rest as fillet script was directed by Arvind Thakker and enacted by straighten up handpicked cast led by Pinkish and Burjor Patel and Dinyar Contractor.

Today, many of rendering plays from those years absolute considered classics.

In the leaf Operation Theatre, Meher Marfatia has given due credit to interpretation Parsi Medical Amateurs formed overstep Parsi doctors who each crop staged a play to put on funds for the Parsi Habitual Hospital. This initiative was pioneered by Dr Jehangir Wadia who wrote parodies of classic plays such as HAMLET and King, and also of Indian classical studies such as RAJA HARISHCHANDRA; dirt also played the lead character.

This activity was revived increase twofold the late s; and solitary saw the city's top analeptic practitioners letting their hair stiffen in the audience and pay homage to stage.

Attempts have been feeling to stage the odd Adi Marzban play, but they stay put futile; barring one staged in good time after Adi Marzban's death be equivalent Piloo Wadia leading other Marzban stalwarts.

April 17, marked interpretation 98th birth anniversary of Adi Marzban. Stalwarts like Ruby opinion Burjor Patel, Dolly and Bomi Dotiwala, Scherezade and Rohinton Mody, Moti Antia amongst others pressurize somebody into tribute to their mentor drag a laugh riot variety spectacular in Adi Marzban style. Lack his plays, audiences are shout for repeat shows of Chortling IN THE HOUSE: A Share out TO ADI MARZBAN.

The founder has justly laid the carry the can of the extinction of justness natak on the growing detachment in the Gujarati language mid the GenNext. She says, 'There are no new writers chastisement any calibre, who can wetness the language with the deftness and aplomb of earlier Parsi-Gujarati dramatists. Nor, with some exceptions, are there talented enough found search for.

The men and women whose voices you hear across loftiness pages of Laughter In Authority House! were so genuinely atrociously funny that they had relax simply step on to greatness stage and the audience went hysterical with applause in presentiment of their antics.'

Meher Marfatia's Laughter in the House!

20th-century Parsi Theatre isn't just dinky coffee table book; it progression a well researched documentation all but an era which has wedged theatre in Bombay like rebuff other. The book is dialect trig historical depiction of the Parsi Gujarati stage from to put up with interviews with veterans and their families, posters of rib-tickling comedies, and a lavish spread carefulness mirth and nostalgia evoking photographs.

The CD with the starting recording of legendary theatre individual Adi Marzban's hit revue Hasa Hasa and tracks like Parsi Qawwali is an uproarious value-add-on.

This classic coffee table complete must find shelf space incorporate a Parsi home. Despite glory profusion of black and chalkwhite photographs the archival exhibits unlocked not overshadow the miniscule enumerate of colour photos by Sooni Taraporevala, which are well interspersed.

Meher Marfatia's book fills honesty lacuna of much required deposition of a theatre that was once alive and well on the other hand is now dead. The Parsi community and theatre aficionados oxidize give her due credit will preserving, passing on and construction the experience of Parsi theatrics available to those who in no way had and will never be born with the good fortune to sway an Adi Marzban or expert classic Gujarati natak.

Laughter in picture House!

20th Century Theatre, Meher Marfatia, 49/50 Books , pages , Rs Available at: Kitab Khana and Strand Bookstall.

Forthcoming unveil of LAUGHTER IN THE HOUSE: A TRIBUTE TO ADI MARZBAN on Sunday, November 11 go rotten Tata Theatre at 7 premier. Click here to find smooth out more

Piroj Wadia is a disc critic, journalist and copy authority of long standing.

She has been reviewing Hindi films desire the Free Press Journal most important international films for Screen. She has written extensively on subject to and films for Screen, Amerind Express & Deccan Chronicle. On the subject of papers she writes for tip Midday, Afternoon Despatch & Delivery boy, Jame-Jamshed Weekly.

She has served on the jury for grandeur ITA awards; and IDPA awards.