Their tryst with theatre started long ago when, as kids, they enthusiastically took to the stage on several occasions, both having found their platform in the church which has dramas or one-act plays in vogue. But today, their love for theatre has taken on more serious form as Bendangtemsu and Uto Chishi are proud students of the reputed National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi since July 2009. And by getting selected through sheer hard work and talent, the talented duo have broken one of the myths in aesthetics which says that Nagas do not have it in them to act.
Their selection is indeed a rare feat as NSD selects only 24 from the whole of India for the 3-year course. Reflecting on the selection procedure, they recall how a Preliminary round was conducted in 5 centres - Mumbai, Delhi , Kolkata, Guwahati and Bangalore - where 100 were eventually short-listed till the final best 24 were taken in.
Their journey to this level has hardly been easy; in fact, it has been a hard struggle since Nagas are still some way off from accepting such performing arts as a profession. Both had to face their share of ridicule for their interest in acting and drama. However, passionately following their dreams, they have rightly become the forerunners in the field of theatre as far as Nagaland is concerned.
Both have their stories to tell, but the duo gives due credit to the 45-day NSD workshop organised by NEZCC in June 2008 under the aegis of Naga Film Institute, which they say, moulded their dreams to greater heights.
Bendang says he was initially not at all interested in attending the workshop thinking that it would be of no use to him. “But with constant persuasion from my director, I enrolled for it. Now, I am very thankful to the director for his persuasion. He is my inspiration and my mentor”.
It is worth noting here that Bendang got his significant break into acting with an invite from the director of Naga film institute Temjen Pongen to star in the Ao Vernacular film ‘Ojala Kong Ajurutsu’ in 2007. This film, he says was the stepping stone into the professional realm of acting.
He also adds that the workshop was a great experience - “a new thing for me. I felt like I stepped into a new world. And it was during that workshop that I decided I should try for NSD.”
During the workshop, Robin Das of NSD was apparently already impressed with his acting.
While for Uto, acting as a profession had always been an aspiration from childhood. He cheerfully says that the NEZCC “Intensive Theatre Workshop” was like lighting a fire for him. He also feels that NEZCC has taken a huge step regarding theatre and personally has contently taken it as a very big privilege for himself while remembering Zubeni who introduced him to the Workshop.
Dreamz unlimited then came into being, they inform, and further explains that it was formed by the theatre enthusiasts attending the workshop.
Going back in time, Bendang had started to direct some plays and dramas in the CYE and church programmes but, more importantly, there were viewers impressed with his acting. For instance, he remembers an excited mother of a friend of his who called him up wanting to talk to him after seeing the film and delightfully squealed “your voice sounds just like you did in the movie.’
However, insisting that 80 percent of the credit for what he is now and his achievement goes to Temjen Pongen, he goes on to add that it has been ‘because of his support, encouragement and trust in me that I have reached up to this level’.
In another light, he feels that “theatre is a new thing for us” but that Naga people have unquestioned talents while citing Dreamz Unlimited as an example. He explains that ‘though it is immature and acting skills are still found wanting, people have been impressed with our energy.’
The problem with Nagas, he feels, is that “we just dabble in it and leave it after a while”. He also points out the Naga parents’ psyche as another issue, where performing arts are perceived as mere hobbies and not professions.
“God has given us immense talents and we have to exploit it. We must go on a journey and enjoy the fruit of our work,” he emphasises, adding that “we should give equal importance to other disciplines apart from academics”.
“Do not keep your talent as an option but give equal importance to it as you would do with your studies and let it go hand and hand,” he firmly states.
And though the task ahead is daunting in a way, he has already received the Young Talented Artist award in the field of theatre from NEZCC and Excellency Award from Ao Students’ Union Dimapur and his joining the prestigious School of Drama is a beginning in its own way.
As for Uto, his forte lies in miming and even though he has been into mono act for 8-9 years now, he feels tremendously empowered with his ambition by getting into NSD. He also confesses that he’s been praying for a professional platform for three years.
But he’s more than grateful for the times at Sunday School which fuelled his interest and other platforms later which made an actor out of him.
Uto feels theatre is no more really new to Nagaland but asserts that “the lack of understanding and its concept for the Naga people to witness the show is still missing”. Elaborating on this, he says that people start to laugh on certain dialogues and miss out the next step. Nonetheless, determined on following his dream, he plans to finish his course at NSD and come back and place his focus on building up young talents and shape, rather reshape, the talents that’s already there.
“My plan is to work with the teenagers. They do not have a definite aim and most of them are at the crossroads,” he says. “I want to show a new way,” he beams with this worthy vision lingering strong in his voice.
He already has credentials that speak for themselves and has won numerous competitions that include ‘Mono-act competition’, Highway area youth meeting competition besides performing at various places and events in the State. He also directed the ‘Last Supper’ shown in July 2009.
Although somebody called Ikato (the first Naga) is already part of the National School of Drama before them, with their input the theatre scene in Nagaland is definitely set to take off like never before.
Their selection is indeed a rare feat as NSD selects only 24 from the whole of India for the 3-year course. Reflecting on the selection procedure, they recall how a Preliminary round was conducted in 5 centres - Mumbai, Delhi , Kolkata, Guwahati and Bangalore - where 100 were eventually short-listed till the final best 24 were taken in.
Their journey to this level has hardly been easy; in fact, it has been a hard struggle since Nagas are still some way off from accepting such performing arts as a profession. Both had to face their share of ridicule for their interest in acting and drama. However, passionately following their dreams, they have rightly become the forerunners in the field of theatre as far as Nagaland is concerned.
Both have their stories to tell, but the duo gives due credit to the 45-day NSD workshop organised by NEZCC in June 2008 under the aegis of Naga Film Institute, which they say, moulded their dreams to greater heights.
Bendang says he was initially not at all interested in attending the workshop thinking that it would be of no use to him. “But with constant persuasion from my director, I enrolled for it. Now, I am very thankful to the director for his persuasion. He is my inspiration and my mentor”.
It is worth noting here that Bendang got his significant break into acting with an invite from the director of Naga film institute Temjen Pongen to star in the Ao Vernacular film ‘Ojala Kong Ajurutsu’ in 2007. This film, he says was the stepping stone into the professional realm of acting.
He also adds that the workshop was a great experience - “a new thing for me. I felt like I stepped into a new world. And it was during that workshop that I decided I should try for NSD.”
During the workshop, Robin Das of NSD was apparently already impressed with his acting.
While for Uto, acting as a profession had always been an aspiration from childhood. He cheerfully says that the NEZCC “Intensive Theatre Workshop” was like lighting a fire for him. He also feels that NEZCC has taken a huge step regarding theatre and personally has contently taken it as a very big privilege for himself while remembering Zubeni who introduced him to the Workshop.
Dreamz unlimited then came into being, they inform, and further explains that it was formed by the theatre enthusiasts attending the workshop.
Going back in time, Bendang had started to direct some plays and dramas in the CYE and church programmes but, more importantly, there were viewers impressed with his acting. For instance, he remembers an excited mother of a friend of his who called him up wanting to talk to him after seeing the film and delightfully squealed “your voice sounds just like you did in the movie.’
However, insisting that 80 percent of the credit for what he is now and his achievement goes to Temjen Pongen, he goes on to add that it has been ‘because of his support, encouragement and trust in me that I have reached up to this level’.
In another light, he feels that “theatre is a new thing for us” but that Naga people have unquestioned talents while citing Dreamz Unlimited as an example. He explains that ‘though it is immature and acting skills are still found wanting, people have been impressed with our energy.’
The problem with Nagas, he feels, is that “we just dabble in it and leave it after a while”. He also points out the Naga parents’ psyche as another issue, where performing arts are perceived as mere hobbies and not professions.
“God has given us immense talents and we have to exploit it. We must go on a journey and enjoy the fruit of our work,” he emphasises, adding that “we should give equal importance to other disciplines apart from academics”.
“Do not keep your talent as an option but give equal importance to it as you would do with your studies and let it go hand and hand,” he firmly states.
And though the task ahead is daunting in a way, he has already received the Young Talented Artist award in the field of theatre from NEZCC and Excellency Award from Ao Students’ Union Dimapur and his joining the prestigious School of Drama is a beginning in its own way.
As for Uto, his forte lies in miming and even though he has been into mono act for 8-9 years now, he feels tremendously empowered with his ambition by getting into NSD. He also confesses that he’s been praying for a professional platform for three years.
But he’s more than grateful for the times at Sunday School which fuelled his interest and other platforms later which made an actor out of him.
Uto feels theatre is no more really new to Nagaland but asserts that “the lack of understanding and its concept for the Naga people to witness the show is still missing”. Elaborating on this, he says that people start to laugh on certain dialogues and miss out the next step. Nonetheless, determined on following his dream, he plans to finish his course at NSD and come back and place his focus on building up young talents and shape, rather reshape, the talents that’s already there.
“My plan is to work with the teenagers. They do not have a definite aim and most of them are at the crossroads,” he says. “I want to show a new way,” he beams with this worthy vision lingering strong in his voice.
He already has credentials that speak for themselves and has won numerous competitions that include ‘Mono-act competition’, Highway area youth meeting competition besides performing at various places and events in the State. He also directed the ‘Last Supper’ shown in July 2009.
Although somebody called Ikato (the first Naga) is already part of the National School of Drama before them, with their input the theatre scene in Nagaland is definitely set to take off like never before.
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