Sanjana gives thumbs up for Hyd

Eminent theatre personality and founder of ‘Prithvi Theatre’, Sanjana Kapoor, who is also on the jury of 18th Intentional Children’s Film Festival (ICFFI) to select the best international short film, is happy with the way children are embracing the festival. “It was exciting to judge films along with children as their responses were spontaneous. They don’t hold back their emotions,” she says.

Daughter of Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendal, Sanjana has also conducted workshops in Hyderabad. “I’ve taught the basics of what an actor needs to do. The workshop taught concepts like how to go about expressing oneself, imagination and observation. It has been a mixed bag of children from all over the country. Sadly, it concluded on Monday,” she smiles.

So what has been the most rewarding experience - being on the jury or conducting workshops? “Undoubtedly, the latter,” she insists. “Workshops give me a new high. You put me in a room with 30 children, I just go into another world. If I were not into theatre, I would have been into education for sure.”

She differs with veteran lyricist Gulzar’s view that Children’s Film Festivals should be conducted across States annually. “Since I’m an administrator, I’m aware of the pros and cons of conducting a festival. First of all, I don’t think we create enough work in children’s films. You can say that our aspiration is to conduct festivals throughout India after 10 years. But right now, where the children’s films? Whether we should move this festival will also be an administrative issue. Hyderabad has been the home for the past many years and it seems to want to accept, embrace and celebrate the festival.”

She continues, “It makes sense to hold the festival in Hyderabad though there are some issues that need to be fixed. It would also be a good idea to see satellite festivals across the country as the infrastructure required for such festivals would be relatively less compared to theatre or big film festivals. If such things happen on a massive scale, it would of great use for the children.”

She believes that we need more theatres for the theatre scene to improve. “The biggest problem lies with the infrastructure. The focus should be on creating more opportunities for theatres that welcome audience and theatre groups. We’ve formed India Theater Group where we collectively address concerns we have,” she says.