Writers Forum Effort Initiated By Pratidhwani

In a unique effort to nurture script writing talent among Indians in Seattle, Pratidhwani - a premier non-profit organization focusing on Indian drama - has started efforts to organize Pratidhwani Writers Forum. Pratidhwani Drama Wing in-charge, Agastya Kohli, is driving the initiative. Agastya is the son of well-known Hindi writer, Sri Narendra Kohli. Originally from Delhi, Agastya has been living in Seattle for the last 9 years and works as a Telecom Engineer for a company in Bell Town. In addition to Pratidhwani, Agastya is involved in multiple organizations including Gurukul, a language school teaching Hindi language and culture to children.

Seattle Desi Network caught up with him to learn more on Writers Forum.

SDN: What is Writers Forum?

Agastya: It is an effort to bring interested writers in Seattle area together to produce quality plays and scripts that depict various facets of Indians. Locally produced scripts would not only appeal more to local audiences, but plays we write ourselves can be more sensitive to our specific technical constraints.

SDN: How did you come up with this idea?

Agastya: Pratidhwani Drama Wing has been active in Seattle for several years now. While we've done some non-traditional theatre, our main focus remains on full length main stage shows. All three of our recent main stage shows have been received extremely well by local theatre enthusiasts, and while these plays are perfect as stand alone events on their own merit, we are also seeing increasing requests for plays as part of other events. For example, organizations such as CRY and AID have approached me to conduct plays for 30 minute slots. In our current mode of working, it is harder to accommodate such requests. However, I like the fact that Pratidhwani, being a premier organization focusing on theatre, is being expected to deliver on such requests. I see this as a next level of engagement Pratidhwani should be ready for.

To accommodate such requests, I came up with Writers Forum concept, through which we can encourage budding writers in Seattle to write plays that surround both contemporary and historical themes keeping local constraints into consideration. Scripts from India tend to be written keeping Indian conditions in mind, and some times it can be quite expensive in terms of stage setting, props, and costumes especially with period pieces.

SDN: How will Writers Forum work?

Agastya: We expect to have about 10 to 15 writers who are interested in this effort. Pratidhwani will facilitate meeting and sharing of ideas to come together - perhaps once a month - and focus on script writing and critiquing. Since most of the writers will be amateurs, the Forum can provide facilities to learn, improve and shine their skills. In addition, we will actively promote scripts written by our Writers Forum writers to various organizations in Puget Sound area. In fact, we can also think about how we can use them nationally.

SDN: Will Pratidhwani be enacting the plays? Or organizations should take that responsibility?

Agastya: Pratidwhani will be happy to produce the completed works, as we start to hit the quality bar that we have set for ourselves. But the writers will continue to own the rights - and are welcome to offer the scripts to any one interested in producing them.

SDN: How do you want to measure your success?

Agastya: There are three success criteria: the number of active writers in the Forum, the number of scripts we're able to generate, and the quality and reputation these plays bring to Pratidhwani. There could be other criteria as well. We are looking for quality plays that will help us build on our reputation of a quality theatre group. However, I do understand that it takes time for a script writer to reach a certain level to meet the criteria. That is where Pratidhwani can add value with its years of experience writing and enacting plays.

SDN: What are the qualifications you are looking for in a script writer? What languages they should be writing?

Agastya: The same qualifications that make any writer a good writer - command on language and passion for writing. There is a slight difference between writing for the stage, and any other form of writing. The best aspect of a novel can come in descriptive or narrative part of the story, but in a play, the playwright doesn't have that facility. Everything must be conveyed in dialog. So, we are looking for writers who are interested in play writing - and our experience of performing on stage will help writers gain that 'stage perspective' as we move forward. With regards to the language question, we welcome writers in any language, as long as the theme of these scripts remains India centric. Hindi and English are perhaps easiest, as most people understand those. But all regional languages are welcome - to the extent we can help!

SDN: How should interested writers get in touch with you?

Agastya: They can reach me at agastyak@gmail.com.

- An Interview by Seattle Desi Network