Theatre will never die: Veteran actor Himani Shivpuri

Sharing their views on the violence and vulgarity in mainstream movies and OTT platforms, the actor emphasised that makers bring in and showcase various sections of society. They also held the audience responsible for the type of content being curated and served

Theatre will never be outdated despite the influx of content on various platforms, including OTT, TV and cinema, said Bollywood veteran Himani Shivpuri as she reflected on the timeless charm of the traditional art form that has survived through ages like a ‘poor cousin’.

Theatre will never die: Veteran actor Himani Shivpuri

“It will not die; we will not let it die,” said Shivpuri, who was accompanied by fellow veteran actor Rajendra Gupta ahead of their play ‘Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai’ on Saturday organised at Sanskritik Samagam here.

“Cinema came, TV came, and now OTT is there. But theatre will never be outdated. It is the mother of all contemporary art forms. It will never go out of fashion. However, it will always be like a poor cousinas there has always been a fund crunch in theatre. But an artist who has experienced theatre in their life cannot do without it. We have worked in TV, films, and OTT, but when we present our craft before a live audience, the sense of instant satisfaction, hearing, and witnessing their reactions is unparalleled,” said Shivpuri.

Sharing their views on the violence and vulgarity in mainstream movies and OTT platforms, the actors emphasised that makers bring in and showcase various sections of society. They also held the audience responsible for the type of content being curated and served.

“Violence has become entertainment now. People enjoy watching it, and because of that, makers are producing content centered around it. Movies like ‘12th Fail’ and ‘Animal’ both compete at the box office because there is an audience for all sorts of content. If the audience stops watching violence, I am sure nobody will make pictures on it,” said Gupta.

Commenting on the forced intimate scenes, Shivpuri said, “OTT platforms have enjoyed all the independence to create whatever content they wish to, but adding an intimate scene to the content just to sell makes it tacky and vulgar. While it is all-natural and a human need, portrayed in films as well, they have a censor body. In contrast, OTT, accessible even to children, has none of it. So, the makers should be self-aware, without an outer body to indicate them. They should create content responsibly.”