Viewing Mumbai through the lens of ‘poetry theatre’

Omkar Bhatkar, artistic director of Metamorphosis Theatre and Films and a visiting faculty member of St Andrews College, Bandra, will now bring the book to life in what he calls a ‘poetry presentation’ or ‘poetry theatre’ on August 3 at Little Theatre, NCPA

MUMBAI: “An unknown city, a new home, and an indomitable love, Hand in hand they sloshed through the waterlogged city”

Viewing Mumbai through the lens of ‘poetry theatre’

Encapsulating the feelings of youngsters during the city’s rains, these lines from a poem titled ‘Monsoon and Mumbai’ by Anwesha Bhattacharya are part of a book called ‘Mapping of Mumbai—Revisiting the City through Verse/Prose’. The book comprises poems and short stories by various writers, all talking about the transformation of Mumbai through the eyes of the indigenous fishing community and migrants alike.

Omkar Bhatkar, artistic director of Metamorphosis Theatre and Films and a visiting faculty member of St Andrews College, Bandra, will now bring the book to life in what he calls a ‘poetry presentation’ or ‘poetry theatre’ on August 3 at Little Theatre, NCPA, and on August 4 at the St Andrew’s Centre for Philosophy and Performing Arts (SAPP), Bandra West. The play is a collaboration between Metamorphosis, SAPP and Mumbai University’s Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Research Centre.

“I have always enjoyed reading poets from Mumbai like Nissim Ezekiel, Dilip Chitre, Adil Jussawalla and Narayan Surve, and was curious to see what new writers feel about the city,” said Bhatkar. “The book has given an opportunity to some very new voices, and it’s interesting to see their observations on this city.”

Explaining why he chose this book for his performance, Bhatkar said it takes readers on “an enchanting voyage through a rich tapestry of verse and prose, where words become a vibrant palette to paint the city’s physical, cultural and spiritual landscape”. “As the pages unfold, the reader is transported into the hearts and minds of resilient Mumbaikars, each narrating their unique experiences and dreams,” he said. “This collection not only captures the spirit of Mumbai but also serves as a mirror reflecting the diverse tapestry of its people.”

Bhatkar works largely focus on poetry in motion, existentialist themes and contemporary French plays in translation. He has written and directed over 20 plays, several of which were performed at art and theatre festivals. He has also collaborated on a ‘Page to Stage’ series, an initiative by NCPA to bring books alive on stage through performance.

While explaining the difference between poetry presentation/theatre and performance poetry, Bhatkar said, “Poetry presentation is an amalgamation of movement, music, voice, text and the body. It’s is a genre that goes beyond performance poetry and blends various mediums.”

The director enthusiastically discussed his efforts to portray the life of Mumbai on stage. “I have tried to put together the Mumbai as described in the poems through visual design and body choreography,” he said. “We see visual shades of Mumbai spanning from the existential reality to dreaming about hope in this dreary city. Mumbai is a postmodern commotion that has devised its own unknown rhythm. To match this rhythm, we have created a structure that covers the broad spectrum.”

Professor Rajesh Kharat, former dean of humanities at the University of Mumbai (MU), who conceptualised the book, said the idea came to him when he was the dean. “Travelling from Delhi to Mumbai, we realised that Mumbai has so much potential and vibrancy like a colourful rainbow,” he said. Apart from Kharat, the book was edited by MU faculty members—Professors Satishchandra Kumar, Manisha Karane, Aishe Debnath and Arushi Sharma.

“With Omkar Bhatkar’s creative performance, the book will reach more people and help them understand the city better,” said Kharat. “We are excited about the performance and confident that it will touch new heights in literature and theatre.”