Sunil Shanbag
Encyclopedia
Sunil Shanbag is an India
n theatre director, screen-writer and documentary film-maker. He has graduated from Mumbai University, and although he didn’t have any formal training in theatre, he has worked extensively with Satyadev Dubey
, who considers him one of his foremost protegés.
In 1985, Shanbag founded the theatre company Arpana. Its work is characterized by “contemporary and original texts by Indian and international playwrights (in translation), strong performances, minimalist staging, and innovative use of music and design.”
, through the culture spawned by rapid industrialization, specially in the mills of Girangaon
.
In 2010, Shanbag opened the play S*x M*rality & Cens*rship. The play revolves around the censorship woes faced by Vijay Tendulkar
’s Sakharam Binder
in Mumbai in 1974, juxtaposing this against the sanitizing of tamasha
traditions by middle-class conservatism. The play was funded by a grant from the India Foundation for the Arts
and underwent research and rehearsals for almost a year. Ultimately, it was nominated for nine awards at the META Awards, with supporting actress Geetanjali Kulkarni finally winning for her performance.
Also in 2010, through his play Dreams of Taleem, Shanbag tried to cope with the death of playwright Chetan Datar by incorporating Datar’s play 1, Madhavbaug in a narrative that dealt with the isolation felt by its gay protagonists. According to The Hindu
, it did not seem to ask any new questions in the areas of theatre and sexuality, "despite its strong performances and a script that was otherwise quite seamless."
In 2011, Shanbag presented his musical, Stories in a Song. The show was conceived by noted classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal
and percussionist Aneesh Pradhan for the 2011 Baaja Gaaja festival in Pune. According to Mumbai Mirror
, the stories in the play “reflected the socio-historical times in which they happened, and are lightly lined with satirical or sympathetic comment.”
and was a co-author, along with Shama Zaidi
, for the television serials Yatra and Bharat Ek Khoj
. In 1993, he produced Maihar Raag, which won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film
in 1994.
In 2009, Shanbag directed the short film, The Sword and the Spear, which was based on an international tour undertaken by contemporary dancer Astad Deboo
and his troupe of Thang-ta
martial arts performers from Manipur
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n theatre director, screen-writer and documentary film-maker. He has graduated from Mumbai University, and although he didn’t have any formal training in theatre, he has worked extensively with Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey is an Indian theatre director, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film actor and director. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1971....
, who considers him one of his foremost protegés.
In 1985, Shanbag founded the theatre company Arpana. Its work is characterized by “contemporary and original texts by Indian and international playwrights (in translation), strong performances, minimalist staging, and innovative use of music and design.”
Plays
In 2007, Shanbag directed the critically acclaimed Cotton 56, Polyester 84 which won three META awards at the Mahindra Theatre Festival, including Best Original Script for its writer, Ramu Ramanathan. The play is a celebration of MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, through the culture spawned by rapid industrialization, specially in the mills of Girangaon
Girangaon
Girangaon was a name commonly used to refer to an area now part of central Mumbai, India, which at one time had almost 130 textile mills, with the majority being cotton mills. Girangaon covered an area of , not including the workers' housing...
.
In 2010, Shanbag opened the play S*x M*rality & Cens*rship. The play revolves around the censorship woes faced by Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar
Vijay Tendulkar was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi...
’s Sakharam Binder
Sakharam Binder
Sakharam Binder is a play by Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar and was first performed in 1972. It was banned in India in 1974. It was produced and directed by Kamlakar Sarang.-Synopsis:...
in Mumbai in 1974, juxtaposing this against the sanitizing of tamasha
Tamasha
Tamasha is a traditional Marathi folk art form. often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India. It has also been the subject of several Marathi films...
traditions by middle-class conservatism. The play was funded by a grant from the India Foundation for the Arts
India Foundation for the Arts
India Foundation for the Arts [IFA] is an independent, nationwide philanthropy, professionally managed, and dedicated to strengthening the arts in India. Established as a public trust in 1993, IFA is headquartered in Bangalore. Its founder-director, Anmol Vellani, previously worked for the Ford...
and underwent research and rehearsals for almost a year. Ultimately, it was nominated for nine awards at the META Awards, with supporting actress Geetanjali Kulkarni finally winning for her performance.
Also in 2010, through his play Dreams of Taleem, Shanbag tried to cope with the death of playwright Chetan Datar by incorporating Datar’s play 1, Madhavbaug in a narrative that dealt with the isolation felt by its gay protagonists. According to The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, it did not seem to ask any new questions in the areas of theatre and sexuality, "despite its strong performances and a script that was otherwise quite seamless."
In 2011, Shanbag presented his musical, Stories in a Song. The show was conceived by noted classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music,...
and percussionist Aneesh Pradhan for the 2011 Baaja Gaaja festival in Pune. According to Mumbai Mirror
Mumbai Mirror
Mumbai Mirror is a largest compact newspaper in the city of Mumbai with a daily circulation of over 600,000 copies. Its first issue was published on May 30, 2005 by the Times Group, the publishers of The Times of India newspaper....
, the stories in the play “reflected the socio-historical times in which they happened, and are lightly lined with satirical or sympathetic comment.”
Films
Shanbag has worked with Shyam BenegalShyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
and was a co-author, along with Shama Zaidi
Shama Zaidi
Shama Zaidi is an Indian screenwriter, costume designer, art director, theatre person, art critic, and documentary filmmaker.-Biography:...
, for the television serials Yatra and Bharat Ek Khoj
Bharat Ek Khoj
Bharat Ek Khoj is a 53-episode television series that dramatically unfolds the 5000 year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of independence in 1947...
. In 1993, he produced Maihar Raag, which won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film
National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film
The National Film Award – Best Non-Feature Film is given by the Directorate of film festivals under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The winners are given a Swarna Kamal and a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000.-Winners:...
in 1994.
In 2009, Shanbag directed the short film, The Sword and the Spear, which was based on an international tour undertaken by contemporary dancer Astad Deboo
Astad Deboo
Astad Deboo is an Indian contemporary and choreographer, who employs his training in Indian classical dance forms of Kathak as well as Kathakali to create a dance form that is unique to him, and become a pioneer of modern dance in India...
and his troupe of Thang-ta
Thang-Ta
Thang-ta or huyen lallong is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Meitei of Manipur. In the Manipuri language, thang means sword and ta means spear. As its name implies, the sword and spear are the primary weapons in thang-ta. The spear can be used in its non-missile form while in close...
martial arts performers from Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
.