>Orenburg1 at 09:14, 26 December 2019

2019-12-26T09:14:38Z

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Founded in 1998, '''Budhan Theatre''' is an Indian theatre group composed of members of the Chhara tribe, one of India's groups of [[Denotified Tribes|denotified]] or [[Criminal Tribes|"criminal"]] tribal people in [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Charras|first=Building a New Identity|title=Budhan Theatre|url=http://charras.blogspot.com/2008/04/about-budhan-theater.html|accessdate=25 April 2013}}</ref> The Budhan Theatre was founded by Prof. Ganesh Devy [[G. N. Devy]], a renowned linguist and professor of English Literature and Smt. Mahasweta Devi [[Mahasweta Devi]] a noted Bangla writer and Magsaysay awardee. The style of theatre practiced by the theatre troupe is theatre for community development and theatre for social change. They perform street play, Intimate theatre and other experimental theatres to raise awareness about discrimination and violence faced by Chharas and other denotified tribal people in India. Their influences include the [[Indian People's Theatre Association]], [[Bertoldt Brecht]], and the Indian aesthetic of [[Rasa (aesthetics)|Rasa]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Schwartz|first=Henry|title=Constructing the Criminal Tribe: Acting Like a Thief|year=2010|publisher=Wiley|page=115|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1kk8eXdQ08oC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=constructing+the+criminal+tribe+budhan&source=bl&ots=lAY6Tj8Rt2&sig=CNpfnObkWeOfoG3ZObKW5jYDfhI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qaF5UcSOPIS28wTApYD4Dw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=constructing%20the%20criminal%20tribe%20budhan&f=false}}</ref>

Budhan Theatre takes its name from Budhan Sabar, a tribal man who was labeled a criminal, targeted, and murdered by the police in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web|last=Association for India's Development|first=AID|title=Budhan: Actors Are Born Here|url=http://publications.aidindia.org/content/view/501/102/|publisher=AID Publications|accessdate=25 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130703165621/http://publications.aidindia.org/content/view/501/102/|archivedate=3 July 2013}}</ref> One of the iconic plays performed by Budhan Theatre is called ''Budhan.'' During the play, actors reenact the death of Budhan Sabar and demand justice for his murder.<ref>{{cite web|last=India Together|first=News in Promotion|title=Budhan|url=http://www.indiatogether.org/bhasha/bhanplay.htm|accessdate=27 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055943/http://indiatogether.org/bhasha/bhanplay.htm#|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The group had also conducted a one-year diploma course in journalism; a diploma in theatre arts, journalism, and media studies; and a certificate course in dramatics.<ref>{{cite news|title=Budhan Theatre to offer two IGNOU-recognised courses|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1546654/report-budhan-theatre-to-offer-two-ignou-recognised-courses|accessdate=25 April 2013|newspaper=DNA}}</ref>

The group is led by the youths of Chharanagar. Some of the key people include - Dakxin Bajarange, Kalpana Gagdekar, Roxy Gagdekar, Akur Garange, Atish Indrekar, Alok Gagdekar. Many youths from the Chhara community - which was once stigmatized as the criminal tribe by the British - are living a successful life by joining Budhan Theatre. Few examples include Alok Gagdekar (the National School of Drama Graduate- 2006), Vivek Ghamande (2007- NSD), Kalpana Gagdekar, Dakxin Bajrange and few more.

The Budhan Theatre has been featured in [[Shashwati Talukdar]] and P. Kerim Friedman's documentary film ''Please Don't Beat Me, Sir.''<ref>{{cite web|last=Talukdar|first=Shashwati|title=Please Don't Beat Me, Sir|url=http://fournineandahalf.com/pleasedontbeatmesir/|accessdate=25 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509091903/http://fournineandahalf.com/pleasedontbeatmesir/|archivedate=9 May 2013}}</ref> The film follows a group of young actors and their families, telling their stories against the backdrop of the history of India's [[Denotified Tribes|denotified]] or [[Criminal Tribes|"criminal"]] tribes.

==References==
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report-unseen-prejudice-against-chharas-in-progressive-gujarat-1798685
<references />

[[Category:Theatre in India]]
[[Category:Theatrical organisations in India]]

Budhan Theatre - Revision history

>Orenburg1 at 09:14, 26 December 2019