Zahan Kapoor on the ‘Prithvi is getting shut’ video released ahead of Prithvi Theatre Festival: It was just a naughty…
Actor and trustee of Prithvi Theatre Festival Zahan Kapoor talks about the viral ‘Prithvi getting shut’ video, the value of the venue for him and its legacy
Earlier this month, a video on social media circulated which said that the infamous Prithvi theatre in Mumbai is shutting down. Eventually it turned out that the theatre was undergoing a renovation before the Prithvi Theatre Festival, which started yesterday. Actor Zahan Kapoor, who is a trustee of the theatre, says he was amused by the reactions to the video.
“Every year in October, for the last 10 years or so, is the time where Prithvi shuts operations for about three weeks, before we reopen with the festival. It is in that period where we do maintenance and renovation. It’s just this year the communication of that has happened in a slightly more impactful and dramatic way. Ye hamari masti thi and maine bola ki karte hain thoda, log darr jayenge,” Zahan Kapoor shares.
The Black Warrant actor adds that while they have always conveyed about these renovations every year on-ground, this was the first time they did it virtually too. “It just proved that people just read the headline and not the whole article. It was a surprising reaction but it also made me happy as the way people reacted showed that there is a sense of deep value for it which goes beyond our circle. It was just a naughty, cheeky reminder from us that if this gets shut, many people will get adversely impacted,” he says.
Talking about the importance of the venue in his life, Zahan says, “It's undoubtedly the second biggest influence in my life outside of my parents. It's exposed me to art, culture and people from across the country.”
However, he also acknowledges the limitation of the medium: “Our problem here is that to support your entire life financially from theatre is difficult. It's not the easiest thing in the world. And screen is the way which is more sustainable economically. I've been told that my grandfather was having a great time being on stage and touring the country in the mid ’50s. He started touring with his father's company Prithvi Theatres with his new wife Jennifer. They were doing theatre across the country and having a great time. Jab shaadi hui, aur bachche hue they started thinking paise kaise kamayenge? The straight option there was ki filmon mein jaake hum career banayenge, paise kamayenge.”
He adds, “From Prithviraj ji’s time also, they all knew that economics was always stronger in cinema than it was in theatre. But, today it's even more important to talk about theatre to celebrate live performance and to inculcate these values in our society because today, you are seeing a shift.”
Zahan believes that the value of theatre is going to increase in the coming time. “I have a feeling that in the oversaturated digital world, and now soon to be generative-content world in the AI generations, we are going to realise the value of live performance. IRL is the new luxury. I don’t know when it will happen in India, but in the West, more and more A-listers are doing performances on stage. I think they have realised that to be live on stage is a higher value proposition,” he ends.
