For over 40 years, Ila Arun has been captivating the audience with her music and acting. While for many, it’s songs like Choli Ke Peeche, Ghagra and Gutur Gutur that come to mind the moment you hear her name, Ila says that acting on stage is her first love. In the city recently to stage two of her plays – Miracle on Matunga Street and Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke – the actress and singer spoke to us about doing consecutive shows, the need for original music compositions today, and censorship.

It’s no secret that despite being a powerhouse of talent, theatre is a financially struggling medium. That prompted the question of whether theatre will turn into a commercially viable medium or will it end up being a passionate artiste’s space, eventually.

To this, Ila replied, “It’s high time theatre became a thriving and commercially strong business. There are very few people like us who are passionately pursuing it today. Asking for support has almost become like begging but it shouldn’t have to be that way. Theatre is a living art as is classical music, and both have to be supported wholeheartedly.”

Calling for the involvement of the corporate sector in theatre, Ila added, “The theatre community is so big in India and it’s an age-old tradition. But theatre can’t sustain with just passion. It needs financial backing, and I think corporates should come forward to adopt different theatre groups for the same. This will not only help the art form but also a large number of artistes that are dependent on theatre for livelihood. I think there’s potential to put Indian theatre on par with professional groups in the UK and US. But for that to happen, there needs to be strong financial backing on priority. Theatre can’t bloom or survive without two things — monetary support and freedom of expression.”

The actress-singer is no stranger to censorship or moral policing. On the topic of recent instances of singers like Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla being accused of glorifying drugs and alcohol through their songs, Ila said it’s important to find a middle ground. “I can’t speak for other singers, but I am on neither extreme when it comes to this issue. As artistes, we need to be responsible about what we cater to society, but it’s equally true that art or literature is a reflection of society. Sahitya samaj ka darpan hai. That said, it saddens me to see youngsters getting carried away by some songs. You don’t need to lose your senses to enjoy a piece of music. Enjoy responsibly,” shared Ila.

The actress shared that her autobiography, Parde Ke Peechey, has answers to a lot of questions she encountered over the years. When asked about censorship, Ila said it’s something that’s always been around. “We can’t escape censorship and at times, it’s necessary if someone is trying to harm or mislead people. But if it’s being done just for sensationalizing or the sake or moral policing, then censorship is wrong. When we submit scripts of our plays to the relevant censor body, I have sometimes challenged them when changes were suggested. I think you need to read the entire script to understand what it’s trying to say rather than fixating on one controversial line or scene in it,” she said.

With remakes of old Hindi songs becoming increasingly common in new projects, Ila shared that it’s an unfortunate development. She added, “In the name of recreation, nobody has the time to compose original tunes or write sensible lyrics. Personally, I feel new compositions should not be ignored. Taking inspiration is different. Everybody is inspired by something – Kalyanji bhai was inspired by folk songs, Naushad was inspired by classical music, even Bappi da was inspired by international music. But inspiration is entirely different from lifting or recreating a song. No wonder old melodies are still young and alive in the hearts of music lovers.”

Asked about her favourite new-age artistes, Ila said, “Mujhe toh Arijit (Singh) hi pasand hai bhai. Jo cheez mujhe chhooti nahi, woh mein sunti nahi. If nothing else, I listen to my songs only.”

Following her portrayal of Maham Anga in Jodhaa Akbar, Ila said she started getting only vamp roles. “I never accepted them. A film is someone else’s brainchild and there’s a lot of commercial aspects involved. But theatre gives me full scope to explore and experiment. It is a better place to showcase your skills because on stage, you are the queen or master of your own creation,” she shared.

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In OTT projects, the script is the star. I have also been part of some challenging subjects in the space. I played a transgender in Haddi and was the only female actor who was playing a trans person. I enjoy OTT and have a lot of expectations from it

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At the recently concluded Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2024, held at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), the audience was treated to a heartwarming exchange between Bollywood star Vidya Balan and the actor-singer-thespian Ila Arun. The event marked the unveiling of Ila Arun’s autobiography, Parde Ke Peeche.

“After my song Choli Ke Peeche (Khalnayak, 1993) became popular, it became my signature,” explained Ila. “Koi yeh nahi janta tha ki Ila Arun kaun hai, parde ke peeche kya hai. And that’s how I named my autobiography. Logon ko aana padega parde ke peeche mujhe jaanne ke liye,” said Ila Arun, revealing the inspiration behind the title.

Vidya Balan expressed her deep affection for Ila Arun, highlighting the unique qualities that have endeared Ila to her over the years. “My favorite thing about Ila ji is her child-like quality, that immense enthusiasm she has in everything she does,” Vidya said.

“What is so amazing about her is that I never felt that there was any sort of age difference between us, from the moment we first met. I love her! She genuinely is one of my most favourite people. She has always been the youngest person in any cast, and I don’t mean this in an ageist way. Ila ji is just so much fun to have around! I’ve also had the opportunity to watch her on stage and she is magic. I’ve met Ishita, (her daughter), who was my junior in college, and she is great fun, but I feel Ila ji is the child! It’s just so easy to talk to her about anything. She levels with you so beautifully.”

Their camaraderie was evident as Vidya recalled their collaborations in films like Shaadi Ke Side Effects (2014), Begum Jaan (2017), and Sherni (2021). “We would be yapping away between takes, like schoolgirls! Yet, when the camera came on, she would just transform,” Vidya remarked.

The stage was alive with laughter as both shared amusing anecdotes from their time on set. Ila Arun, tearing up at Vidya’s heartfelt praise, recounted a mischievous moment: “Vidya would crack a joke on set and make everyone laugh while she kept a straight face. Once, when I was preparing for a serious scene in Begum Jaan, she asked someone to play the song DJ Wale Babu! She knew that if I heard music like that my feet would tap to the music. When the shot was ready, she played the song and I couldn’t help moving! The director asked me to be still and Vidya stood there seriously for action!”

Vidya, laughing, added her version of events, “Ila ji was in a white sari, and we were doing a Holi scene. She kept asking the director, ‘Main nai Holi khel rahi? Rang mujhpe nahi lagayenge?’ The director explained the historical context, and Ila ji was heartbroken. She stood sulking in a corner. To lift her spirits, I said, let’s play DJ Wale Babu. It was her childlike spirit shining through!”

Vidya also reminisced about their shared adventures while shooting in Shantiniketan and Jharkhand. “On Saturdays, Shantiniketan would have a Boul Mela where folk artistes gathered to perform. Imagine having Ila Arun perform live with them! It was incredible.”

In another memory, Vidya spoke about their encounters with snakes and scorpions in the wild. “The director once chased us with a bottle containing snakes, and I hid behind Ila ji. But she was always such a sport, playing along!”

Vidya reflected on the opening chapter of Ila Arun’s autobiography, which recounts a blessing from legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. “He told her in Bengali, ‘You will die on stage.’ He saw in Ila ji what perhaps she couldn’t see in herself at the time. You’ve been on the stage in various avatars, on various stages, in various stages of your life. It’s so beautiful and inspiring."

Ila Arun, with her characteristic humor, responded, “That’s what I really want for me to happen. But Kunal pe taras aata hai (Kunal Kapoor, Trustee, Prithvi Theatre.) I want my last breath to be at Prithvi but aap itna arrangement kaise karenge. Meri iccha hai (to die on stage) but main location dhoondh rahi hoon, yahan (NCPA) nahi toh wahan.”