Theatre & Television Associates performs Nati Binodini at GD Birla Sabhagar. Picture by Aranya Sen

Amal Allana had won the Girish Ghosh Award while majoring in direction from the National School of Drama. Does it have anything to do with her decision to stage a play on Girish Ghosh’s protege Nati Binodini? Not really, because 19th century Bengal has always attracted Allana. t2 caught up with the Delhi-based theatre director and NSD chairperson when she was in town last week to stage Nati Binodini.

Why did you choose Nati Binodini?

Why not Nati Binodini? I have always been attracted to the 19th century when contemporary Indian theatre was forming in Bengal. I have read a lot on the stalwarts of the age. Girish Ghosh has always fascinated me for his views on the position of women. He was so far ahead of his times in the way he taught acting… His tips of observing people closely, reaching within oneself to learn from memory, how to get to the inner truth of the roles… These are things we still teach our students. I realised all that of course after I read Nati Binodini’s autobiography, Amar Katha.

Do you identify with Binodini?

Yes, I do identify with her. Despite all these years, the situation hasn’t changed much for theatre or women. Maybe more women are coming into theatre for the glamour associated with acting and in the hope that they would make it big in cinema, but if today I take a prostitute in my team the reactions would be just as strong as they were in Binodini’s time.

Amal Allana

What drew you to Binodini?

The various identities that Binodini was looking for — she wanted to move up socially, she wanted to rid herself of the identity of a kept woman, she wanted recognition as an actress, she wanted financial independence and while acting as Chaitanya she wanted to cleanse herself spiritually.... The play challenged my creativity and the actors of my group Theatre & Television Associates. It is still growing with us from performance to performance.

Is your play based on Binodini’s autobiography?

I read Amar Katha in translation 15 years before the modern printed version came out. Then I read other people’s commentaries on her and the age.

The more I read the more I wanted to do a play. I looked around; there were some plays available but I didn’t like any. So I decided to script a fresh play.

What next?

There are three or four play scripts I am working on. One is on the women of the Mahabharata, another is an adaptation of a Polish play, and there are plans for a play on contemporary Delhi.