Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 28, 2020)

Despite suffering a cornea abrasion while playing with daughter Aadya, Shreyas Talpade is looking at the bright side of the lockdown. The actor has taken it upon himself to help revive the theatre industry and make it viable, not just when people are confined to their homes, but also in the post-Coronavirus world, where the audience, especially senior citizens, might keep away fearing the contagion. Shreyas plans to bring theatre shows online without taking away from the ‘live’ appeal of the medium.

“For now, we will have to record the shows because venues might not be available. But later, we will live-stream, so someone living in another part of the world can also watch a local play. It might just become the new normal,” he asserts, pointing out that even if he were to watch a Broadway show online, he’d still want to go watch it live. “It’s a win-win from all sides.”

The actor will retain the format of a play and will sell tickets priced between Rs 250-300 for a one-time watch. “We can’t charge on a per person basis, so, for the price of one ticket, the whole family can watch a play. It’s quite economical,” he avers, adding that their primary concern is downloads and piracy. “We are working with online platforms to send a one-time password to ticket-holders which won’t allow downloads or recordings and will expire after one watch.” The actor also plans on partnering with food delivery apps for munchies during the interval.

Having enlisted the support of former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, politician Vinod Tawde, and members of the Marathi film and theatre fraternity, Shreyas is now convincing show producers to back the concept. “They are right in being concerned about returns, but right now they are not earning anything. This way, even if they make half the money, it will be something. And out-of-work technicians and actors will also earn a livelihood, and with online exposure, they might become known names,” he reasons.

Admitting that it’s an experiment with no set precedent, Shreyas is ready for whatever comes his way. He has already shortlisted a few Marathi plays to begin with and is now trying to get permission to record it at an auditorium owned by the Maharashtra Natya Parishad in Matunga, which allows only Marathi plays to be showcased. “It will be a controlled environment, with a limited crew of 15-20 people, all following safety protocols in a sanitised place,” he assures, adding that to compete with OTT shows, they will have a multi-camera setup that will lend depth and character to an otherwise one-dimensional stage. “We want theatre aficionados to remain loyal to the medium,” he sums up.