INDIAN CRITICS SURVEY (website:www.indcrit.8m.net email:[email protected]) QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Full name and/or pen name : Hasmukh Baradi 2. Preferred postal address : 42/51, Pragati Nagar, Naranpura, Ahmedabad-380 013 3. E-mail: 4. Birthplace : Rajkot, Gujarat 5. Institutional affiliation(s), if any, with dates of entry, etc,; and/or current business or professional activity : Director, Theatre Media Training Centre (Add.as above) 6. First and/or present oral language(s) : Gujarati 7. Language(s) read : English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Russian 8. Language most used for criticism : Gujarati, English 9. Other languages written : As above 10. AREA(S) of greatest research/writing interest/activity in recent years : e.g., ethnic, national, or regional literatures, genres, techniques; formal or social issues; etc.: Theatre, Media, TV, Mass communication, social issues, theatre history. 11. 4 or 5 PUBLICATIONS in above chosen AREA(S) of criticism (books, essays, reviews, commentary) since 1990 (please list in order of importance, giving full bibliographical data; please omit academic syllabus study guides/aids and edited collections of writing by only others): Attached 12. Specific or general PROJECTS in Criticism currently in process, planned, or of special interest : Theatre History, Mass communication, TV Media 13. CRITICAL APPROACHES, perspectives, analytical techniques, methodologies, etc., presently employed or being developed, and their AIMS, ideological and/or otherwise. (Please explain fully, citing examples from your work and, if possible, from progenitors and/or others now employing similar critical methods and ideas. Your extended response to this and the following items we hope will help substantially to stimulate more awareness of community and facilitate connections and communications among critics throughout India.) : Attached 14. Elements of criticism in your chosen areas of interest with which you are fairly satisfied, with examples, if possible drawn from other critics’ work : Attached 15. Critical issues for criticism today and/or elements of criticism with which you are dissatisfied, and why: Attached 16. Suggestions, if any, for ameliorating the unsatisfactory situation, with indications, if possible, of particular approaches, methods, etc., and/or critics that might be most helpful: Attached 17. General suggestions for achieving more productive interactions among critics in India: Annexure-II Para-13 & 14 – Critical Approaches My approach has been to achieve holistic view of any work – literary or performance. Because of the practical contributions, in various media like theatre, radio, television, literature and informal training all through, and various genres like drama, documentary, short stories, poems, reviews etc., the approach naturally has been inter-disciplinary. I have felt that all artistic expressions are product as well as producer of society. For example while writing the theatre history of 150 years of Gujarati theatre, the approach was to see play-scripts and theatre companies in perspective of what happened each year in Indian politics, Gujarati society, theatre and the impact of Marathi and World Theatre on Gujarati theatre, from 1840 to 1990. Similarly the phases of development of Gujarati Theatre and drama were devided as predominant trends in theatre and dramatic literature, e.g. actor-oriented phase, playwrights phase, social commitment phase, etc. Para-15 In literary and performance criticism in Gujarat the evaluation criteria is very unsatisfactory, in the sense that the divorce of good literature and the theatre from late 19th century forced writers to keep away from popular commercial theatre, and the directors and producers not caring for written and published scripts. This led to playscript criticism as part of literary criticism, unmindful of the process of visualization when the playscript is performed by actors. Similarly performance criticism has always been journalistic, publicity-oriented, again unmindful of the act of theatre. This further led to Gujarati theatre surviving on the Marathi and Broadway adaptations and away from the present life in Gujarat. Theatre has to be local and Universal simultaneously, as was Greek Shakespearean, Sanskrit etc. The problem I see here is that the lack of evaluation criteria by the critics and their understanding and misunderstanding both of act of performance. Similarly the situation in media criticism of Gujarati Television and Gujarati Films is also very unsatisfactory, for almost similar reasons. Of course the situation is not very encouraging in the media criticism in other regions of the country, except for a few, rare examples. Para-16 & 17 A. Introduction of Theatre and Media literary ‘lessons’ early for young students creating awareness. B. University level courses for criticism C. An Academy of critics D. Scholarships and Fellowships for studies in criticism E. Special awards for encouraging meaningful criticism F. Publication support to such ventures and availability of books G. Encouraging translation of books criticism between Indian languages H. Periodic meetings, Seminars of critics, also encouraging interdisciplinary approach etc. Brief Biodata of Hasmukh Baradi He voluntarily retired as Executive TV Producer (1975-93) has produced about 2 dozen TV serials (both plays a documentary/participatory) for DECU/ISRO, Ahmedabad. He was awarded “Sandhan” Critics Award for full length TV play “Rai no Darpanrai”. He began as a broadcaster on AIR (10 years) and Moscow Radio (5 years). He conducted local Radio Workshops, and one Training for Trainers workshops for Local Radio for AIR broadcasts-officers. He attended Media-workshops and conferences at Malaysia, Germany etc. Basically a playwright, Mr.Hasmukh Baradi has written more than a dozen plays, three of which were produced in Central Sangeet Natak Academy Festivals. He wrote “History of Gujarati Theatre” for National Book Trust, Delhi (1996). He was Senior Fellow for theatre, Department of Culture, Government of India (1990-92). He conducts theatre workshops for adults and children. He was awarded NARMAD Award for playwriting. He has conducted a number of TV production and Script Writing Workshops both as Course Director and Chief Resource Person for DECU/ISRO; Asia-Pacific Broadcast Development for Design. He wrote a textbook on “TV Production” in Gujarati for University Book Production Board, 1993, which was adjudged best book by Sahitya Academy. He is media teacher for more than two decades at various Universities/Colleges, Non-govt.Organizations, Mudra Institute of Communications etc. He has contributed to the Gujarati Theatre entries in the Oxford Theatre Companion, published by Oxford Press, Calcutta, and is a Contributing Editor to the Theatre and Media section of the Gujarati Vishwakosh (Encyclopedia), published by Vishwakosh Trust, Ahmedabad. His latest production was a two hour telefilm entitled “Bhaththi” which was telecast as a part of 50th anniversary of India’s Independence, By DDK, Ahmedabad during August- September 1997. Recently he was awarded Chandravadan Chimanlal Mehta Award – 2000. Presently he is running a training centre Theatre and Media Centre, where short term courses in video production, TV Journalism, TV Announcer/Anchor persons, Scriptwriting, Theatre Arts etc. Editing “NATAK” magazine since Jan. 1998. Books of Criticism 1. History of Gujarati Theatre (also available in English, published by National Book Trust, Delhi). 2. Natak Sarikho Nadar Hunnar in Gujarati – theatre criticism. 3. TV as medium, published by Gujarat University Book Production Board. 4. Film as medium, published by Navbharat. 5. Art of Cinema by Satyajeet Ray. 6. History of Bengali Theatre, published by National Book Trust, Delhi. 7. Theatre as phenomenon : Theatre criticism. 8. Bertorit Brecht – Study of the German playwright. 9. Angle – social issues etc. .