Salim Arif

2009-05-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Kiran Karmarkar & Lubna Salim

Javed Siddiqi’s

Hum-Suffer

Designed and Directed by Salim Arif

Javed Siddiqi’s play Hum-Suffer is about an erstwhile couple at crossroads, meeting each other over a period of several years.

When Sonal (Lubna Salim) and Sameer (Kiran Karmarkar) decide to divorce after fifteen years of marriage, they do so with an understanding that life can be started afresh, taking a turn at a crossroad and going separate ways. What seemed an amicable solution leaves a few issues unresolved- While Sameer moves on with his quest of solace, an emotionally fragile Sonal finds herself tangled in a web of isolation and despair. The intricacy of human emotions and the delicate threads that hold a family together keep pulling them to each other and apart.

Poignant, Romantic and frequently funny, their lives follow a bittersweet journey of marriage, divorce and missed opportunities. The play is as much about love, as it is about urban alienation, family and relationships.

Voice over - Hana Masood, Faraaz Salim & Farida Siddiqi

Publicity - Kajal Ads

Posters & Exhibition - Arun Kumar

Backstage Help - Umang Prajapati

Lights operated by - Jayesh Dhumasia

Music operated by - Shah Faisal

Associate in Set Design - Arun Kumar

Set Execution - Jaysukh Ravrani

Costumes - Sushil Bhatia of Cambridge Apparells

Stage Manager - Shah Faisal

We are grateful to Gulzar Saab for rendering some of his poems especially for this play.

Written by Javed Siddiqi

Produced by Lubna Salim

Designed & Directed by Salim Arif

An Essay Communications presentation

Kiran Karmarkar : Widely known as Om Agarwal in the path breaking Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, India’s longest running daily television serial with more than 1000 episodes, Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Aasman and Ghar Ek Sapna, Kiran portrays the challenging role of Sameer in this play. An actor of substance, he has earlier been on Marathi stage in plays like Kimaya Ghar and P.L.Deshpande’s Sunder Mee Honar,besides our very popular play Kachche Lamhe.

Lubna Salim : Now a very popular face as Leela bhabhi in Baa, Bahoo aur Baby serial on television besides several Advertising films, Lubna is an accomplished actress, essaying a wide range of roles on stage from a very young age in plays like Hori, Lok Katha, Aakhri Sawal & Bakri, She graduated as a major actor of substance with plays like Aazar Ka Khwab, Atmakatha, Mera Kuch Saamaan, Shyam Rang, Kharaashein, Biwi-o-Biwi, Collaborators, Peele Patton Ka Ban Kachche Lamhe and Lakeerein. Lubna Salim is remembered for her roles on television in Bharat Ek Khoj, Kadam, Daaman and much acclaimed as Jijamata in Chatrapati Shivaji. She has recently done Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine episode for Sony Television.

0ff Stage

Javed Siddiqi-

Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari to Chakra, Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Raja Hindustani, Pardes, Taal, Mammo, Fiza, Zubeida, Tehzeeb , Koi Mil Gaya and Dil Mange Mor have established him as the writer for all seasons, covering the entire spectrum of Hindi Cinema ,fitting perfectly into films of differing subjects and temperaments for the last three decades. Colloquial and crisp, his dialogue has always been noteworthy for being pithy, witty and power- packed. Tumhari Amrita, Hamesha, Saalgirah, Shyam Rang, Begum Jaan Raat,Kachche Lamhe and Hum-Suffer are some of his play scripts to leave an indelible mark on stage in India and abroad. He is credited with writing a sequel in Hindustani theatre for the first time in Aapki Soniya.

Gulzar-

The well known leading writer, director, lyricist -poet in films and also Urdu literature is a household name. Known as an artiste of touching sensitivity, his films like Mere Apne, Parichay Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam ,Angoor, Ijaazat&Maachis, have left an indelible mark on movie going masses. His television serial Mirza Ghalib is acknowledged as a definitive biographical sketch of Ghalib. From Mora Gora Ang Laie Ley to Kajrare- Kajrare, and recent Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, his contribution to film songs has been consistent and unique. He has given us songs to hum on all occasions even in his non film music albums like Dil Padosi Hai, Marasim and Vaada. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India besides several National and Filmfare Awards for Films, Songs, Scripts and Dialogue. He was awarded an Oscar for his song in Slumdog Millianire.A notable littérateur of Urdu and also Hindi language, he has the rare distinction of receiving the coveted Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of stories titled Raavi-Paar. A compulsive poet, he has recorded some of his poems exclusively for Hum Suffer.

Salim Arif-

An illustrious alumnus of National School of Drama, New Delhi, he has several production oriented workshops to his credit in a number of places in India. He was awarded a fellowship to work on the subject of Interaction between Traditional and contemporary Indian theatre with reference to the works of Habib Tanvir, B.V.Karanth, Ratan Thiyam and K.N.Panikker.

His critically acclaimed play Aap Ki Soniya has been performed extensively in India and abroad. His path breaking Kharaashein and Ghalibnaama were showcased by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan at Lincoln Center, NY in 2004.

Currently working as Head of the Production Design Department at the Whistling Woods, Mumbai, he is also on the visiting faculty of several prestigious institutions including National School of Drama, New Delhi, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, National Institute of Fashion Technology,Mumbai, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, BNA, Lucknow , and Rajasthan University Department of Drama, Jaipur .

He was commissioned by Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) to do an appraisal on Costumes in Hindi Cinema titled The Essence and Fabric for Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema published in 2003. He has been a Theatre Critic for Mid-Day, New Delhi, wrote articles and reviews for Free Press Journal in Mumbai on Theatre and films and is currently a regular contributor to Hardnews, a magazine published from New Delhi since 2003.

An associate director in movies like Gulzar’s Maachis, Hu Tu Tu and Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza, his important films as a designer are Ketan Mehta’s Sardar Patel,Gulzar’s Maachis & Hu-Tu-Tu , Govind Nihalani’s Takshak, Anil Sharma’s Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo and Mani Ratnam’s Guru and tele-serials like Shyam Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj,Gulzar’s Mirza Ghalib,Dr.Chandraprakash Dwedi’s Chanakya and Nirja Guleri’s Chandrakanta . His serials as director on television include Daaman and Saath Saath besides several episodes for Rishtey segment. Some important plays designed by him are Ismat Apa Ke Naam, Shyam Rang, Mrigtrishna, Jisne Lahore Nahin Vekhya and Madhyamvyayoga.

Innovative in approach , exploring new contents for staging, his Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Kaifi Saab, Ghalibnaama, Kharaashein,Peele Patton Ka Ban,Dil Chahta Hai ,Aapki Soniya, Shyam Rang ,Agar aur Magar,Bayaane Ghalib,Rakt Kalyan,Lakeerein,Kachche Lamhe and recent HumSuffer has made him one of the most exciting and popular director on Hindi Stage in India.

Essay Communications-Essay Communications is a forum for theatre and other allied arts in Mumbai. Led by Salim Arif, the group has actors like Farooque Shaikh,Sonali Bendre,Vaishali Thakkar, Lubna Salim, Seema, Atul Kulkarni,Yashpal Sharma,Harsh Chhaya,Kiran Karmarkar,Anoop Soni and singers like Bhupinder-Mitaali, Talat Aziz, Jaswinder Singh amongst others perform in various productions so far. Ghalibnaama, a concert comprising of the letters and poems of Mirza Ghalib, Kharaashein-the scars from riots, a collage on stage of Gulzar’s writings on communal harmony, Lakeerein another show on Gulzar’s writings on Indo-Pak. Peele Patton Ka Ban a collection of three monologues and Javed Siddiqi’s Aapki Soniya , Kachche Lamhe and Hum-Suffer are productions which gave this group a distinct identity as a platform for meaningful artistic presentations

2009-05-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Salim Arif
Transcript of live chat with Theatre Director, Salim Arif on August 22, 2002 "As a director Kharaashein has been my best work till date" Salim Arif Theatre Director Netjerky > Coming from the National School of Drama (NSD), how come you didn't take up acting and what made you take up direction? Salim Arif > When I started doing theatre, I felt I could do much more in terms of design, lighting than just (play) a role. So as a director I was doing much more and was also acting frequently on stage. But I realised that I lacked the attitude of an actor and that my inclination was more towards direction and design. I never saw myself as an actor on stage. Had I been acting, I wouldn't have designed costumes, done direction etc (smiles). Queen_mary > You started your career with designing costumes for period films and television serials. Do you have great knowledge of that era or of costume designing? Salim Arif > I have done extensive research in the historical aspects of costuming. And, I am probably the only person who has done entire history of India from the costume point of view. My first work (that's how I came to Mumbai) in Shyam Benegal's Bharat Ek Khoj (on TV) would prove. Now, whenever someone makes a period film in India, inevitably they watch my work in Bharat Ek Khoj (it has become a referential work for period design in India). When Oliver Stone met me (He is making Alexander The Great), he consulted me for the costumes in his proposed film. Great knowledge would be a very pompous thing for me to say. But good knowledge, based on my research work is what I would say I possess. This costuming (in films) is more of character study. It is an extension of my training at the NSD and a director's vision. My costuming is rooted in the text and milieu of the subject, unlike the works of contemporary designers who are into fashion designing creating looks that are cosmetic in nature. Kalpana > Has your new Hindi play, Kharasheshein been well received by the masses because it deals with a tragic subject? What feedback you've been getting? Salim Arif > Kharasheshein has received tremendous response from whosoever has come to see it at the auditorium. We have received a standing ovation in all the shows so far. About the general masses, I cannot say because I have not had the opportunity of performing in front of them. And I don't see it as a street play. It is a serious subject but everyone has seen the point of view of the play and been moved by it. Kavota > Which was your first play as a director? How has been your experience in theatre so far? Salim Arif > My first play was "Exception and The Rule" as a workshop production in Nainital in 1983. I was still a second year student of NSD then. My last year, in Mumbai has been very good. I designed Naseeruddin Shah's Ismat Apa Ke Naam , directed the biggest Hindi theatre hit "Taj Mahal Ka Tender" with IPTA Mumbai and I have done a show on Ghalib's poetry and prose called "Ghalib Nama" where I read his letters on stage and Jaswinder sings his ghazals. Annu > Considering that so many low budget films are doing well today, do you also plan to make a low budget film? Salim Arif > I am in fact planning one with Atul Kulkarni of `Chandni Bar' fame and he is also acting in Kharaashein as the lead actor. Let's see. Anuradha > Why don't you concentrate on one medium - television, theatre or in making movies. Don't you think that will help firm up your footing in any one medium? Salim Arif > The kind of work I was doing before I came to Mumbai was essentially in theatre. So, while I was doing TV and films, theatre took a back seat. I was only teaching theatre at the National School of Drama (NSD) for 15-20 days in a year (at workshops). Since the last two years I have wanted to be an independent director in films without a Godfather here or abroad. It's taking time and my theatre commitments had to be fulfilled. But, I do only one thing at a time. Right now, TV is off. In films, I am struggling presently. Hence, theatre gives me a creative outlet at present. I may take off from theatre and make a film and again come back to theatre or films or TV, in case something interesting happens. Lamhrithik > You said you are planning a low budget film, so, would you take freshers to play the lead roles in your movie? I am interested in acting. Salim Arif > Freshers are not a problem but you need a producer to finance the project. And, for someone like me, who himself is a fresher, it might be difficult to say at the moment. Anu > What are your forthcoming projects? Salim Arif > I have one play lined up, apart from a film. The play would be on Habba Khatoun, the legendary love tale from Kashmir. The play is written by Javed Siddiqui. My film will take a little time. By end of this year it should be on. I am writing dialogues for Kalpana Lajmi's film Kyon . Prince > Films and television have big money. What about theatre? Are people willing to see and invest in theatre as well? What do the audience like to watch? What's the trend? Salim Arif > In Mumbai, especially in theatre, people want to watch comedy mostly, which is understandable. The trend is to create comedies as Gujaratis and English theatre shows, although there are serious plays. It's only in Marathi theatre that, a serious play can become a major hit now. Although, exceptions prove the rule in other languages. Koel > What has been your best performance so far ? Salim Arif > As a director Kharaashein has been my best work till date. Although, in costuming I have a soft corner for "Chanakya", Bharat Ek Khoj and Maachis . Priya > How was it working in Hindi films and with such good directors? Salim Arif > I have worked because of them. People like Shyam Benegal and Gulzar have spoiled me to the extent that it is difficult for me to work with anybody and that is one reason I have been very choosy about my projects in films and TV. Richa > How did you select the cast of Kharaheshein ? Are you going to stage the play in other cities as well? Salim Arif > The actors were known to me for quite sometime. Atul Kulkarni, Yashpal Sharma, Anup Soni are my juniors from NSD, besides being brilliant actors. Kishore Kadam, Ganesh Yadav are old friends and also very good stage actors from Marathi theatre. Vaisahli Thakkar is well known in Gujarati theatre and Lubna has been almost a veteran in Hindi theatre in Mumbai. And lastly, in Shyam Rang where she played Radha and also in Chattrapati Shivaji (on TV) she was doing Jijamata's role. So, I am very fortunate to have such a good team with me. And, they were all more than willing to do this because of the subject and Gulzar sahab's writings. Zombie > Just like the film directors vie for foreign market; do you think Indian theatre should be pushed to have an international screening and audience? Salim Arif > Definitely, and Indian theatre has so much to offer in terms of variety of content and styles. Komal > Does theatre have better actors than films ? I feel some theatre actors are really talented. Salim Arif > Definitely, as in theatre they are practicing their craft on a daily basis and the Riyaz (practise) is very similar to that of a singer or a dancer. That is why, lately, so many good actors have emerged from theatre and graduated into films. Grace_mary > What training is required to become a good theatre actor? Salim Arif > An actor needs to have a role to practice his craft while he may keep his body and mind in a state of readiness in training because, that is his instrument which he has to use in a role. Theatre training would mean a composite awareness and practice of all your faculties. While it may happen naturally to a very few, acting does require a lot of practice. If you compare it with dance and music, a musician or a dancer hesitates to perform on stage even after four to five years of daily Riyaz or practise , while we have actors who think they have become actors by doing a couple of plays. Bhavna > Theatre lacks the masala element as in the case of films. Is this the reason why theatre is not so popular? Salim Arif > You have answered the question. Although the folk theatres of various regions of India has a large dose of all the masalas you associate with Hindi films. It would be interesting for you to know that Hindi films have still not got away from the theatre tradition of Parsi plays of the last century which were a combination of all the nine rasas or a bhel puri kind of a mix of all the emotions put together. But the contemporary urban theater has by way of variety explored subjects and styles, which are not communicated as easily to a layman, as some other popular forms of theatre. Sonyaa > Which are the good foreign plays you've watched? How far is Indian theatre influenced by western theatre? Salim Arif > Last I happened to watch "Irresistible Rise of Arturo Uii" from Berlin Ensemble in Mumbai, which was a memorable production and performance by the lead actor. Foreign theatre has influenced a lot of urban Indian theatre as well as helping some Indian directors find ways of exploring our own folk traditions and evolving a synthesis, i.e for example Vijaya Mehta's and Fritz Bennewitz's production of "Caucasian Chalk Circle" done in Marathi folk form and so many other instances of similar experimentation, largely of using foreign plays and content and adapting it to Indian regions. For instance "Khilaya" is a Gujarati adaptation of famous American musical "Fantastics". Sign Off Message > My current Hindi play, Kharaashein came into being because of the necessity to warn an average Indian from getting influenced by caste considerations. The changing psyche of the common man is my concern in this play. And how he gets blown off losing his sense of reason in that moment of crisis. I would say, let the humans in us survive and then he/she can choose to be a Muslim or a Hindu or a Christian or a Sikh, but not vice versa. Thanks for chatting with me. Bye!!!

2009-05-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

Theatre is a passion for Salim Arif

2009-04-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

THE KIND of vitality which has come up in Hindi and English theatre in Mumbai in the last few years is largely because very few theatre practitioners are depending on theatre for their survival."
That might sound like a contradiction, but this sure is incontrovertible that the best theatre one can see these days in Hyderabad comes from outside, from Mumbai largely. And while we lament this state of affairs, it is worth a look how `they' manage to keep their head high up there.
Salim Arif, theatre teacher, director and reputed art director, is familiar with the theatre scene all over the country. In town, last month, for the first performance outside Mumbai of Rakesh Bedi's comedy Biwi O Biwi in which he plays the role of a male chauvinist husband, he spoke at length on the problems being faced by theatre in the country.
"You will be surprised to know the kinds of themes that have been tackled in Bombay theatre in the last four or five years. Chetan Datar's Mata Hidimba or Vikram Kapadia's Black with Equal or Rahul Da Cunha's or Atul Kumar's work — it has been such a wide spectrum, that one can safely say that the best theatre today is happening in Mumbai," he says.
It is as if a small bunch of creative people dug in their heels and have defiantly decided to give their best to it. Salim, too, has contributed to this sudden vigour in theatre in a small way by developing new types of contents. His Ghalibnama is a combination of Ghalib's letters and poems presented artfully on stage. Kharaashein, a highly appreciated show, is a combination of poems and stories of Gulzar on the theme of recurrence of communal riots. Presenting poets and writers in a theatrical form which is much more than mere reading or musical rendition has become Arif's speciality.
Arif has been into films and television also. "My TV serial called Daaman — a contemporary Muslim social was on Sahara till last year and quite popular. I have done Saath-Saath, Natkhat Rani and episodes of Rishte and Fauji as director. In fact, I have shot two episodes of the `Saughat'— the Idd episode of Zee's Rishte (1999) and one more episode at Siasat Kothi, Masab Tank and such places. So, I have a very special bonding with Hyderabad. I love the city."
After passing out from the National School of Drama in Delhi with specialisation in direction and designing, he did a lot of workshops all over the country. "It allowed me to work with the likes of Habib Tanvir, B.V. Karanth, Ratan Thiyam and K.N. Panikkar, and understand traditional Indian Theatre," he says.
His break into television came with Shyam Benegal's celebrated Bharat Ek Khoj. "Shyam was looking for someone to do the research and the design for the costumes and make-up. So, I did the entire series as a designer. Nitish Roy was the other designer. And then, I did Chanakya, the film Sardar, Mirza Ghalib, the serial, and then Chandrakanta, and then I branched off into direction in television."
After having worked for such high quality productions, Salim is plainly disappointed with the present situation. "By the time my turn came, the big budgets ran out for the kind of inputs required for such productions. And the sad part is that the channels were also not keen on getting authentic work. That's where, I think, we all suffered."

"Today, I feel it is impossible, certainly very difficult to make serials like Tamas, Bharat Ek Khoj, Chanakya — they were high-price serials then also. The kind of money they spent on Ghalib is the maximum you can get today, and that too when costs have gone up five times. I was fortunate to have been part of this path-breaking work on Indian Television. Today's films allow that kind of budgeting, but I am not part of the scenario because I do not enjoy the present cavalier attitude toward authenticity. It's all glamour and beauty oriented."
Including, say, Devdas?
"Yes, Devdas too. I see no reason why we should do that kind of kitschy work. Or, for that matter Asoka. I think that there is this very stupid feeling among people that authenticity can only be boring. They should probably see the best of Hollywood, for inspiration!"
Nor is Salim too keen on television work these days. His teaching assignments and theatre work, mainly with I.P.T.A., Mumbai, keep him going. Although support for meaningful theatre is shrinking everywhere, Salim is quite confident it will be able to adapt and develop suitable strategies to sustain itself even if on the margins.
"Unfortunately, not many people want to see a serious play at the end of the day. I don't blame the audience because it's difficult for them to tax their mind and get to see a problem play on an evening. People are willing to pay to laugh, because it's becoming extinct in our lives. We have stopped laughing at ourselves and in working situations. If theatre has to play that role, we will have to go with it to some extent at least. And I think theatre is the only alternative to the kind of farce that media is projecting onto the Indian masses."
"We still try to convey something serious even through our comedies. Like, Taj Mahal Ka Tender. It's like an R.K. Laxman cartoon — a satire on the bureaucracy and the prevalent corruption. The basic theme is that had Shah Jahan wanted to build Taj Mahal today, what the bureaucracy and the system would have done to it! It's amazing, this play (written in 1997) has been so prophetic, today we can't think of doing it in U.P. because bureaucrats fear that it's too close to contemporary reality. So, nobody would give it permission," he chuckles.
* * *
"We don't do plays to make money. Our plays have an inherent message," As Salim Arif puts it, "To be a successful theatre artiste today, the attitude has to be professional, because anything less than that would not be worthwhile. But the market forces should not be allowed to dictate what you play. You need that kind of creative freedom.
"It's a kind of liberation he needs to achieve in the first instance. I'll give you a fine example. Naseeruddin Shah play on stage a tribute to Ismat Chugtai, Ismat Apa Ke Naam. Now it is possible only because Naseer is totally independent of market forces, he is getting sufficient money out of his film assignments. He doesn't accept one bit of sponsorship! Same with us too. We make money there — in television and films — and do theatre practically for free."
SUMANASPATI

Caravan-E-Ghazal

2009-04-30T20:55:00.001-07:00

Theatre personality Salim Arif with Talat Aziz and Sonu Nigam

Talat Aziz’s latest album ‘Caravan-e-Ghazal’ was launched by Saregama India Ltd. on January 13, 2009 at St. Andrews Auditorium, Mumbai.
Caravan-E-Ghazal is an anthology of Ghazals, which weaves together a selection from master poets of the Urdu language. Each Ghazal is introduced with recitation in verse by Salim Arif, which also introduces the poet and his concerns as a prelude to each poetic piece. The compositions and music have embellished this album with a rare ability to relate with the uninitiated enthusiast as well as provide connoisseurs of Urdu poetry with a modern musical interpretation of the great Masters. A special surprise on the album is the collaboration between Talat Aziz and Sonu Niigaam on the soulful track ‘Qurbaton Mein Bhi’.
The evening of the launch itself was like no other with eminent personalities from the music, film and television community coming together to celebrate the launch of ‘Caravan-e-Ghazal’. Ghazals from the album were performed live by Talat Aziz and as on the recording, Salim Arif walked the audience through the land of Urdu poetry. Sonu Niigaam joined Talat Aziz on stage as the two performed the duet from the album and then gave into an encore call with ‘Phir Chhidi Raat’.

Kharashein, scars, is a moving presentation

2009-04-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

Some painful memories relived

Kharashein, scars, is a moving presentation of poems and stories written by Gulzar and directed with dignified restraint by Salim Arif. The 1947 communal riots inflicted the first wounds on India. Ahmedabad erupted in 1969, Delhi in 1984, Ahmedabad again in 1987, Mumbai in 1992 and Ahmedabad once more this year. Add to this Kashmirs 14-year-old running wound and the violence in the North-East and we have the gory context of Kharashein.Artistes all over the country are expressing their anguish over Godhra and what followed. But not all their works have reached the public. Recently, a poster exhibition by the Vidyarthi Satyashodhak Sanghatana, as well as the screening of a Delhi filmmakers films in a local college, were banned by the police because they focused on Gujarat. We have been allowed to see Kharashein only because it doesnt touch specifically on Gujarat. It neither points fingers nor does it concern itself with why people whom we know to be otherwise good and peace-loving become monsters when they act as a herd? It focuses rather, on individual responses, sensitive or otherwise, to riots; and on the predicament of the individual caught in a situation not of his making. The question uppermost in the minds of Gulzars protagonists is, will I live this time around, or die.It lurks in the eyes of the Muslim man cowering in the corner of a train compartment, watching every move of its other occupant in nervous fear. The other is unknown and therefore a threat. Atul Kulkarni tells the story, Khauf, with the body language of a trapped animal eyes darting, ears pricked, muscles tensed, watching, assessing, every action of the other. Finally, he turns into such a tight ball of pure fear that his mind stops functioning. Instinct takes over. He pounces on the other with the self-preserving ferocity of a cornered animal. He lives. The other dies, but not before his end reveals an ironic truth. Khuda Hafiz, Gulzars dramatisation of a story by Samaresh Basu, focuses once more on two men, trapped this time in a curfew situation. Brilliantly performed by Kishore Kadam and Ganesh Yadav, the men face a two-way danger from each other because neither knows who the other is, Hindu or Muslim, and from the police, because they are out-of-doors when a curfew is on. Theres a subtle directorial touch at the beginning, when Kadam cringes at Yadavs touch. Touch is used thereafter, to plot the graph of their growing mutual trust, which culminates in the last tight embrace of leave-taking. This time too, the life-and-death question ends with life for one and death for the other.Hilsa, performed by Anoop Soni and Vaishali Thakkar, makes a telling point about the self-absorbed attitude of the middle-class to problems that do not immediately affect them; and their callousness towards all rules, made by man or nature, when their material pleasure is involved. But it gives rise to discomfort in its suggestion that cutting a fish is as violent an act as raping and murdering a woman. Even as it stands, however, the story might have been more effective, acquired a finer edge of irony, had it been told as a straightforward narrative without dramatisation. The finale of Kharashein bears witness to our history of violence. The despairing question in our minds is, if thats how it has been, will it ever be any different? Perhaps. I recall grafitti, scratched into the thick maroon paint of a local train compartment, that had made my spirits rise last week. It said, Adults teach hatred. The young dont believe in divisions.

Salim Arif talks to Renu Ramanath about his career and future plans.

2009-04-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Synergy of the arts
He says there is much raw energy in Kerala theatre that can be harnessed.

Salim Arif
"My concern is the spoken word," says Salim Arif, Mumbai-based film personality and noted theatre director. "We are losing the importance of the spoken word in theatre. Here, we are trying to bring back word into theatre."
Arif belongs to a group of artistes who try to balance twin careers — both in film and theatre. Starting as a student of theatre, Mr. Arif entered the world of miniscreen after graduating from the National School of Drama (NSD). And, his name appeared in the team of some of India's legendary serials — Mirza Ghalib, Chanakya and Chandrakantha, for which he designed the costumes.
Arif's break into the world of television was through Shyam Benegal's teleserial, Bharat Ek Khoj. Soon, he made a foray into the film world. He designed costumes for Maachis, Gulzar's feature film, of which he was also the associate director.
Hailing from Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh and brought up in Lucknow in a traditional U.P. Muslim family, Arif chose theatre as a career against the wishes of his family of engineers and doctors. "The onus was on me to be an IAS officer," he laughs. "But, NSD beckoned stronger." After completing the course from NSD in 1984, he travelled all over India in 1984-85, working with leading theatre personalities of the time, including B.V. Karanth, Habib Tanvir, Rathan Thiyam and Kavalam Narayana Panicker. His subject was `Interaction Between Contemporary and Modern Indian Theatre in their Regions.'
From 1986, Mumbai, the capital of Hindi filmdom, became his base, from where he launched a successful career in films and television. The legendary mega serials from the initial hey-days of Doordarsan followed one after the other.
He also directed a number of television shows, including Daaman, for Sahara Television, Saath-Saath, for DD National Network, Nakhat Rani, for DD and Rishte, for Zee TV.
During the early days of his career in filmdom, Arif could not devote much time for his first love, theatre. By 2002, he started to balance both careers. In that year, he presented Ghalibnama, a stage performance based on the life and works of Mirza Ghalib.
In the same year, he produced his first play after coming to Mumbai. Taj Mahal ka Tender was a satire on corruption in the country's political and administrative system. "It is like an R.K. Laxman cartoon," he says. The play was produced by Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA). He had been associated with IPTA over decades.
In 2004, he directed Aap Ki Sonia, written by Javed Siddiqui, casting the Bollywood actors Sonali Bendre and Farooque Sheikh. It was a sequel to a much-acclaimed earlier play, Tumhari Amrita, which starred Farooque Sheikh and Shabana Azmi.
Kacche Lamhe, (vulnerable moments) was another play he did, also written by Javed Siddiqui, based on Gulzar's short story titled Seem. The popular actors Harsh Chhaya and Kiran Karmakar acted in it and Lubna Salim, actor and Mr. Arif's wife, did the major role.
His latest work in theatre was a 40-minute musical titled, Agar Aur Magar, inspired by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht's He Who Says Yes and He Who Says No. It was produced by the IPTA's children's theatre wing. The play had been adapted by Gulzar himself.
Arif is no stranger to the theatre scene of Kerala. Having been familiar with theatre activities led by Kavalam Narayana Panicker from years ago, he has made frequent trips to Kerala watching theatre activities here. Though he holds a high opinion of theatre artistes here, Arif feels they are in need of some good channelising.
"The variety seen in the theatre scene here is quite interesting. There is so much raw energy, waiting to be harnessed and channelised. A lot of aspects need to be improved, if you want to put them on the national scene," he says. He says theatre in Kerala needs a more professional attitude. "It is the attitude that makes you professional. With the School of Drama in Thrissur, Kerala has already developed a tradition of theatre training. What is needed is a professional approach to the work," says Arif.
He has struck the right balance between his twin passions of theatre and film.

Versatile talent: Salim Arif during a candid chat in New Delhi.

2009-04-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Artiste yearns for new forays into Bollywood
Salim Arif during a candid chat in New Delhi.

Though his first love is theatre, he has used his creative urge in different genres. Madhur Tankha meets Salim Arif ….
Notwithstanding the fact that theatre is his primary preoccupation, director-cum-designer Salim Arif is keen on exploring new frontiers in the dream factories of Bollywood.
Shedding light on his much-talked-about play “Kachche Lamhe” that was staged at India Habitat Centre in the Capital recently, Salim says the play was penned by filmmaker-cum-playwright Gulzar himself and its story was on his favourite subj ect of human relationships.
“First shown in 2005, the play has been staged in the country and abroad. It is about a theatre couple whose lives are woven around plays and performances. While the husband is engrossed in his creative pursuit, the wife pines for freedom from the bondage of borrowed identity. She stumbles upon a jovial person and decides to move out with him.”
For the play, Salim says he was able to rope in film and television actor Harsh Chhaya as one of the protagonists because of his personal equation with him.
Working on and off with Gulzar for nearly two decades, Salim holds the multi-faceted personality in high esteem. “Gulzar’s much talked about film ‘Maachis’ was a memorable experience for me. As Associate Director of the film, I had to focus on the look of the film and was also entrusted with the task of dubbing, rehearsal and planning for the film. Even while shooting I could sense that ‘Maachis’ would become a critically acclaimed film. The cast was refreshing -- Tabu was a good friend, Om Puri was somebody whom I knew well and Chandrachur Singh and Jimmy Shergil were making their debut.”
Salim says during the day, all the artistes and crew would go outdoors to shoot the film against the backdrop of the picturesque Manali. “At night we would return to our hotel room to watch a sporting event on television,” says Salim, who was also the Associate Director in Gulzar’s film “Hu Tu Tu”.
In Khalid Mohammed’s “Fiza” that showed the ugly side of terrorism, Salim got a chance to work with Karishma Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan with whom he shared an excellent chemistry.
In Mani Ratnam’s epoch-making film “Guru”, Salim bagged the job of a consultant that was a challenging task. “Before taking up any assignment it is important to read, research and analyse the subject. I had to give the look of Mumbai of 1950s’ and 1960s’. As certain portions were filmed in Gujarat and Karnataka, I had to work on the background of these two States in terms of sets and costumes.”
Sharing some of his nostalgic days at the National School of Drama, Salim says he got a chance to play various characters there but was keen on grasping the intricacies of direction and design. “I saw myself as a non-actor. Actually, it is a matter of perception. I was keen to do the behind-the-scene role. Unfortunately, NSD is seen as an institution that produces only actors but it has equally talented directors like Rajat Kapoor. However, I showed my histrionics in the play ‘Bibi O Bibi’, read Ghalib’s letters in “Ghalibnama” and last year at Prithvi Theatre read flawless poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.”
Taking a trip down memory lane to recount some of his fond memories of Delhi, Salim says during the early 1980s he and other theatre people would walk from NSD to Pragati Maidan to watch movies at Shakuntalam Theatre. We would also go to the Statesman office to sip piping hot tea and would munch parathas at ITO. During Ramzan, I sauntered off to Jama Masjid and ate mouth watering kebabas.”
For the theatre festival “Apna Utsav” in 1980s’ in Delhi, Salim was entrusted with the mammoth task of doing design and lighting at 24 monuments. “It was a Herculean task to make arrangement at so many monuments for the dance and music programme.”
As theatre is Salim’s first love, he continues to conduct workshops across the country to teach the nuances of acting to budding theatre actors. “The secret of success of my critically acclaimed play ‘Aap Ki Soniya’ was its script. That is why it has been performed extensively in the country and abroad. Besides theatre, I am keeping myself busy by interacting with people from across the country at Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. I am head of the Production Design there,” says Salim, who was commissioned by Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) to do an appraisal of the costumes in Hindi Cinema in 2003.

BAZM-e-MEER

2009-04-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

Bazm e Meer
Released by: Times Music
Singers: Salim Arif, Sonali and Roop kumar Rathod

This album conceived by Salim Arif and sung by the husband and wife team Roop and Sonali Rathod gives voice to the poetry of Meer. Salim Arif who also introduces and recites in the album does the selection.
It is difficult to judge whether the beautiful poetry has been given adequate dignity in the singing. Salim Arif reciting at the beginning of each poem holds your attention more than the actual singing. But it is probably the kind of album, which will grow on you as you listen.
The poetry is full of touching moments but Sonali’s voice grates unfortunately and while Roop Kumar’s rendition is miles ahead of his wife’s it still require more substance to do justice to Mir Taqi Mir as he talks of ‘ghum raha jab tak dum mein dum raha or the philosophical ‘Meer jahan mein tum aaye the kya kar chale?”
The poetry veers from the romantic to the sorrowful, the helpless to the resigned [the popular patta patta butta butta which has been sung over the decades by several singers and also been included in a film is articulated here again.]
The seven pieces included here do provide a valuable graph of Meer’s life. These have been taken from his autobiography Zikr E Meer. One just wishes there was more melody here in order to sustain some of that beautiful poetry.

Lakeerein

2009-04-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Theatre
SALIM ARIF
‘We are concerned with humane interaction between India and Pakistan, not the politics. We are not trying to give any message, just saying there is so much to share, cutting across cultural-historical boundaries: we are two branches with the same roots’

LAKEEREIN or ‘lines’ is a collection of vignettes, some based on true lives and incidents, woven around the stories and poetry of Gulzar. Designed and directed by Salim Arif, the production includes four narratives: Batwara, Peer Sahab, Over and LOC, encompassing the relations between the people of India and Pakistan as they have evolved over the last 60 years. The protagonists are writers, soldiers, friends, fathers and sons — divided by political borders but joined by a common humanity and demonstrating, in Arif ’s words, the “other side of Indo- Pak relations”. Lakeerein opens at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai, and will be showing from 28 to 31 October.
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 42, Dated Oct 25, 2008