PATH celebrates Labour Day, Balraj Sahni’s birth anniversary

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 2: People’s Association for Theatre (PATH) celebrated International Labour Day and the 110^th birth anniversary of of legendary actor Balraj Sahni who was born on May Day in 1913. The PATH May Day itinerary commenced with the presentation of a Nukkad Natak themed on lingering problems being faced by labourers across the world, the fallout of such problems and suggested some panaceas to lighten the burden on the shoulders of workers whose contribution to national and international economies have been vital but largely gone unrecognized.

Later, PATH organized a commemorative session on painter and legendary actor Balraj Sahni who pioneered the transition from the Pharsee form of theatre performance that also held sway during the initial phase of cinema to a more realistic pattern of acting. The man who unobtrusively but surely revolutionized the concept and format of the performing media, Balraj Sahni, was born on May 1, 1913.

Founder and director of PATH, Md Nizam cast light on the life and times, challenges and struggles of Balraj Sahni in his theatre and film career and asked budding artistes to take lessons from the immortal actor’s life and move ahead towards their goals unflinchingly.

Popular actor, costume and set designer, makeup artiste Chhavi Das who also spoke on Balraj Sahni during the commemorative session, dwelt on important junctures of the thespian actor’s essay through life. Chhavi said, “Balraj Sahni was born Yudhishthir Sahni on May 1, 1913 in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) and passed away on April 13, 1973 in Mumbai. He was an artiste who introduced realistic acting by gradually erasing the loud performing styles followed earlier thereby introducing a revolution in international performing format.”

She said that his pioneering work in channelizing realistic approach to acting were to be found in his performances in landmark films like Dharti ke Lal, Do Bigha Zameen, Kabuliwalla and Garam Hawa. All artistes of PATH participated in both programmes. Among them were Deepesh Singh, Rupesh Prasad, Vikas Karmakar, Nitish, Ashutosh and Khurshid Alam.