National School of Drama Chairman Ratan Thiyam was conferred the lifetime achievement award at the 11th Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards for his contribution to Indian theatre. The META is India’s most comprehensive award and a premier honour for the theatre fraternity, awarding on-stage and off-stage talent across fourteen award categories including the Lifetime Achievement Award.Theatre enthusiasts in Delhi were treated with a feast of 10 nominated productions from across the country. They were showcased on the META stage this year at various places in the Capital. The theatrical experience included contemporary interpretations of mythological texts, prostitution, molestation, false executions, human-like obsession, jealousy, betrayal and search for redemption.The 2016 META Jury comprised author Kunal Basu, actor Kusum Haider, director and actor M.K. Raina, dancer, choreographer Tanushree Shankar and actor, director Sushma Seth. Plays in diverse Indian Languages shown at the META Awards Nights this year with Shantanu Ghosh and Dyuti Ghoshof the Bengali play Haoai (The Eleventh Planet) bagging the META for Best Actor in Supporting Role Male and Female respectively for their portrayals of the shy Polu and the excitable Mrinmoyee. Mein Huun Yusuf and Yeh Hai Mera Bhai stole the limelight, bagging four awards, Best Direction, Best Production, Best Light Design, Best Sound/Music Design and a Jury Special Mention for Best Actor in a Lead role Male. Kannada play Akshayambhara bagged the Best Original Script award with its unique amalgamation of modern theatrical tools and the traditional Yakshagana dance theatre creating a contemporary narrative raising questions on female representation and male ownership.Prasad Cherkady, who plays a male actor in Streevesha as Draupadi in Akshayambhara, won the Best Actor in Lead Role (Male). Receiving the prestigious award, Thiyam said, “I feel deeply honoured by this prestigious award. It’s a kind of gesture of encouragement for us who are working in the field of theatre. I am happy.”Sayalee Phatak won the Best Actor in Lead role (Female) for her depiction of the aggressive but troubled Mitra in search for her sexual identity in the play A Friend’s Story, an English adaptation of Vijay Tendulkar’s brilliant Marathi drama, Mitrachi Goshta.Malayalam play The Balcony was awarded the Best Costume Design for the authenticity of the costumes which transported the audience into the world of the production and Tamil play Kuhaimaravasigal bagged the Best Choreography Award for the rustic quality of the movements which were well in tune with the symbolism depicted all through the play.“It’s heartening to see how META has been accepted and appreciated by the theatre industry in India and carved a place for itself in cultural calendars. The response we get from the fraternity and from theatre enthusiasts, is phenomenal. We are immensely grateful to the esteemed Jury members who’ve come on board to recognise and reward Indian theatre today,” says Jay Shah, Head, Cultural Outreach, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.During the theatre night, the audience was enthralled with Qawalli by the Niazi Nizami Brothers, Shabnam Virmani’s spiritual musical journey through an exploration of Kabir’s poetry, a contemporary meets classical dance performance by Goura Prema and the Natya Nectar Dance Company and award-winning actress Kalki Koechlin’s chilling rendition of her poem The Printing Machine.Follow@ARTINFOIndia
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