Prithvi Theatre - Revision history

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	{{Short description\|Theatre in Mumbai, India}}		{{Short description\|Theatre in Mumbai, India}}
	~~{{Use Indian English\|date=December 2018}}~~
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2018}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2018}}
	{{Infobox theatre group		{{Infobox theatre group
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	\| imagesize =		\| imagesize =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| formed = ~~1951~~		\| formed = 1944
	\| founder = [[Shashi Kapoor]]<br/>[[Jennifer Kapoor]]		\| founder = [[Shashi Kapoor]]<br/>[[Jennifer Kapoor]]
	\| location = [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]		\| location = [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]
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	\| genre =		\| genre =
	}}		}}
	'''Prithvi Theatre''' is ~~one of [[Mumbai]]'s best known~~ [[theatre]]~~s. It was built by~~ [[~~Shashi Kapoor~~]] ~~and his wife~~ [[~~Jennifer Kapoor~~]] ~~in memory of~~ [[Prithviraj Kapoor]]~~, Shashi's father, who had dreamt~~ of ~~having a "home" for his repertory theatre company, Prithvi Theatres, belongs to the [[Kapoor family]],~~ one of the most influential actor and director families in [[Bollywood]]. [[~~Prithviraj~~ Kapoor]] founded 'Prithvi Theatres'~~, a travelling theatre company~~ in 1944~~. The~~ company ran for sixteen years.<ref name=mum>[http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/prithvi.htm Prithvi] www.mumbainet.com.</ref> ~~Ved Segan~~ was ~~the architect who designed~~ and ~~built the Theatre with the supervision of~~ Jennifer Kapoor. Jennifer, ~~(Trustee) supervised the~~ building and running of the theatre until her death in 1984~~. In 1978 Prithvi Theatre opened in [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]~~. Shashi Kapoor was the Managing Trustee, the daily affairs ~~are~~ looked after by [[Kunal Kapoor (Kapoor family)\|Kunal Kapoor]] ~~(Trustee)~~ with a small but efficient team. Prithvi Theatre has shows ~~every day of the year (closed~~ Mondays), hosts an annual ~~Summertime~~ programme of workshops and plays for children, the Memorial Concert on 28 February, an annual Theatre Festival in November, and many partnership programmes promoting language, poetry, international cinema & documentaries, performing arts – which are free to the public.<ref name=ben>{{cite news \|title=Prithvi, pioneer in theatre \|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040101014620/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=1 January 2004 \|work=[[The Hindu]] \|date=7 November 2003 }}</ref>		'''Prithvi Theatre''' is a [[Theater (structure)\|theatre]] located in the upscale neighbourhood of [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]. [[Prithviraj Kapoor]] the spearhead of one of the most influential actor and director families in [[Bollywood]], the [[Kapoor family]], founded the travelling theatre company 'Prithvi Theatres' in 1944 and the company ran for sixteen years.<ref name="mum">{{usurped\|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20001211113300/http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/prithvi.htm Prithvi]}} www.mumbainet.com.</ref> The theatre was built by [[Shashi Kapoor]] and his wife [[Jennifer Kapoor\|Jennifer]] in memory of Prithviraj, Shashi's father, who had dreamt of having a "home" for his repertory theatre company. It was designed by architect Ved Segan and opened in 1978. The building and running of the theatre was supervised by Jennifer until her death in 1984. Shashi Kapoor was the theatre's Managing Trustee and the daily affairs were looked after by trustee [[Kunal Kapoor (Kapoor family)\|Kunal Kapoor]] with a small but efficient team.

			Prithvi Theatre has shows everyday except Mondays and hosts an annual summertime programme of workshops and plays for children, the Memorial Concert on 28 February, an annual Theatre Festival in November, and many partnership programmes promoting language, poetry, international cinema & documentaries, and performing arts, which are free to the public.<ref name="ben">{{cite news \|title=Prithvi, pioneer in theatre \|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040101014620/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=1 January 2004 \|work=[[The Hindu]] \|date=7 November 2003 }}</ref>

	==History==		==History==
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	==Further reading==		==Further reading==
			{{Portal\|Theatre}}
	* ''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by [[Shashi Kapoor]], Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. {{ISBN\|81-7436-348-3}}.		* ''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by [[Shashi Kapoor]], Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. {{ISBN\|81-7436-348-3}}.

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	==Further reading==		==Further reading==
	~~{{Portal\|Theatre}}~~
	* ''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by [[Shashi Kapoor]], Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. {{ISBN\|81-7436-348-3}}.		* ''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by [[Shashi Kapoor]], Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. {{ISBN\|81-7436-348-3}}.

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{{Short description|Theatre in Mumbai, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox theatre group
| bgcolour =
| name = Prithvi Theatre
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| formed = 1951
| founder = [[Shashi Kapoor]]<br/>[[Jennifer Kapoor]]
| location = [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]
| disbanded =
| notable = [[Shashi Kapoor]]<br/>[[Jennifer Kapoor]]<br/>[[Kunal Kapoor (Kapoor family)|Kunal Kapoor]]<br/>[[Sanjana Kapoor]]
| homepage =[http://www.prithvitheatre.org prithvitheatre.org]
| genre =
}}
'''Prithvi Theatre''' is one of [[Mumbai]]'s best known [[theatre]]s. It was built by [[Shashi Kapoor]] and his wife [[Jennifer Kapoor]] in memory of [[Prithviraj Kapoor]], Shashi's father, who had dreamt of having a "home" for his repertory theatre company, Prithvi Theatres, belongs to the [[Kapoor family]], one of the most influential actor and director families in [[Bollywood]]. [[Prithviraj Kapoor]] founded 'Prithvi Theatres', a travelling theatre company in 1944. The company ran for sixteen years.<ref name=mum>[http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/prithvi.htm Prithvi] www.mumbainet.com.</ref> Ved Segan was the architect who designed and built the Theatre with the supervision of Jennifer Kapoor. Jennifer, (Trustee) supervised the building and running of the theatre until her death in 1984. In 1978 Prithvi Theatre opened in [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]]. Shashi Kapoor was the Managing Trustee, the daily affairs are looked after by [[Kunal Kapoor (Kapoor family)|Kunal Kapoor]] (Trustee) with a small but efficient team. Prithvi Theatre has shows every day of the year (closed Mondays), hosts an annual Summertime programme of workshops and plays for children, the Memorial Concert on 28 February, an annual Theatre Festival in November, and many partnership programmes promoting language, poetry, international cinema & documentaries, performing arts – which are free to the public.<ref name=ben>{{cite news |title=Prithvi, pioneer in theatre |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040101014620/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2003/11/07/stories/2003110701340600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 January 2004 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=7 November 2003 }}</ref>

==History==
Prithvi Theatre was founded in 1942,<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/477270/Prithvi-Theatre#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Prithvi%20Theatre%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia Prithvi Theatre] [[Britannica.com]]</ref> by [[Prithviraj Kapoor]], as a travelling troupe with 150 members,<ref>[http://www.junglee.org.in/ptheatre.html Prthvi Theatre History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080817051543/http://www.junglee.org.in/ptheatre.html |date=17 August 2008 }} www.junglee.org.</ref> which staged productions across India. Its maiden performance was [[Kalidasa]]'s classic "Shakuntala". In subsequent years the theatre staged more than 2,600 plays such as "Deewar" (Wall), "Pathan" (a community comprising Hindus and Muslims of North India), "Ghaddar" (Traitor), "Aahuthi" (Offering), "Kalaakar" (Artist), "Paisa" (Money) and "Kisaan" (Farmer). Prithviraj starred as the lead actor in ''every show''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004432/bio Prithviraj Kapoor biography] ''[[IMDb]]''</ref><ref>[http://www.prithvitheatre.org/about_us.php?about_us_sub_page=our_history History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727185147/http://www.prithvitheatre.org/about_us.php?about_us_sub_page=our_history |date=27 July 2011 }} Prithvi Theatre.</ref> His work in the Indian film industry funded the activities of the company <ref name=dna>[http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1060555 How ‘Papaji’s’ films funded Prithvi Theatre] ''[[DNA (newspaper)]]'', 27 October 2006."[[Zohra Sehgal]] once asked Prithviraj, 'Why the plural? Why Prithvi Theatres?' and he replied, 'I wish there were many Prithvi Theatres all over the world that do what we do.'"</ref>

[[Prithviraj Kapoor]]'s youngest son [[Shashi Kapoor]], who had trained as an actor and director in the Prithvi Theatres, married [[Jennifer Kendal]], daughter of Laura and [[Geoffrey Kendal]], and the leading actress of their theatre company, Shakespearana. Shashi and Jennifer toured with both their parent’s companies – Prithvi Theatres and Shakespeareana, and shared a deep passion for theatre, and a great respect for [[Prithviraj Kapoor|Prithviraj's]] dream for Indian theatre.

==Re-emergence==
[[File:A play performance at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.jpg|left|thumb|A play performance at Prithvi Theatre, [[Mumbai]]]]

Prithviraj Kapoor’s dream was to have a permanent place for his theatre company. In 1962 he managed to lease a plot of land in Juhu on which to create a theatre space. Unfortunately his ill-health and subsequent death in 1972 delayed his dream turning into reality.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050125193740/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/11/22/stories/2004112201500100.htm Kissing the firmament with Prithvi Theatre] [[The Hindu]], 22 November 2004.</ref> The year he died the lease on the land expired and was offered on sale to his family. Shashi Kapoor and his wife Jennifer decided to make Prithviraj’s dream a reality by buying the land, and setting up the 'Shri Prithviraj Kapoor Memorial Trust & Research Foundation' in his memory with the intention of building a space to promote [[Hindi theatre]] and the performing arts.

Prithvi Theatre was inaugurated on 5 November 1978 in Mumbai. "Udhwastha Dharmashala", written by [[Govind Purushottam Deshpande|G P Deshpande]], staged by [[Naseeruddin Shah]], [[Om Puri]] and [[Benjamin Gilani]] was Prithvi's first play. This was followed by a play by the [[Indian People's Theatre Association]] (IPTA), a political satire, "Bakri", directed by actor-director [[M. S. Sathyu]].

Theatre in Mumbai at the time was dominated by amateur English theatre of South Mumbai, Gujarati farce and low-key [[Marathi theatre]] in Dadar. Hindi theatre was at an all-time low with few venues available. Prithvi Theatre offered Hindi theatre an affordable platform where new styles and forms could be experimented with, a new exciting venue for the performers, directors, writers of theatre in the city, and creating a new audience for the genre.

[[File:Prithvi Theatre 1995 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|Prithvi Theatre and Prithviraj Kapoor on a 1995 stamp of India]]

The theatre's fifth anniversary in 1983 was celebrated with a festival to showcase the best of Prithvi, an event considered a success with audience and critics alike. By now the Prithvi Café, attached to the Theatre had become a well known meeting place for artists and art lovers.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031130/spectrum/main4.htm Preserving a theatre tradition] [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 30 November 2003.</ref><ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/30978120.cms Sanjana Kapoor] [[Times of India]], 11 December 2002.</ref>

Jennifer Kapoor, the driving strength, mentor and inspiration of Prithvi Theatre died on 7 September 1984. The theatre was not allowed to close on the day of her death, and the ‘show went on’ in true theatre tradition. Jennifer and Shashi's eldest son, Kunal Kapoor, with the help of Feroz Abbas Khan, took over the running of the theatre, and held a month-long Festival in February 1985 showcasing theatre from all over India.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981101/30550474.html Prithvi theatre festival starts today] [[Indian Express]], 1 November 1998.</ref> Ustad Zakir Hussain, of whom Jennifer was great fan, performed on her birthday, 28 February during the festival, along with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Ustad Zakir Hussain has continued to perform every year on this date at Prithvi – probably the only place where audience members can experience Indian classical music without amplification – in the classic style of a ‘''baithak''’ – as was traditionally performed.

In the 1990s, Jennifer’s daughter Sanjna Kapoor started to help her brother [[Kunal Kapoor (Kapoor family)|Kunal Kapoor]] in the running of the theatre and its various activities. Gradually, as she learned and grew with experience, she added a host of activities and workshops, ‘Prithvi Players’ and ‘Little Prithvi Players’ (Theatre for Children).

The Indian government issued a commemorative stamp in 1995 to mark 50 years of 'Prithvi Theatre'. In 2006, its annual festival celebrated the birth centenary of Prithviraj Kapoor, and was titled, "''Kala Desh ki Sewa mein''" (Art in service of the Nation).<ref name=dna/><ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/24/stories/2006112402940200.htm A celebration of theatre]{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [[The Hindu]], 24 November 2006.</ref>

Prithvi Theatre continues to flourish, providing a home for new talent and source of inspiration to the theatre fraternity and audience with over 540 shows a year, Tuesday through Sunday.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Portal|Theatre}}
* ''Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs'', by [[Shashi Kapoor]], Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. {{ISBN|81-7436-348-3}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Prithvi Theatre}}
* [http://www.prithvitheatre.org Prithvi Theatre Official Site]
* [http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/P/PRITHVI%20THEATER Citation of the commemorative stamp issued in the Golden Jubilee Year of ''Prithvi Theatre'']
*[http://www.unesco.de/fileadmin/medien/Dokumente/Kultur/U40/Mapping_Cultural_Diversity_FINAL.pdf UNESCO: Mapping Cultural Diversity: Good Practices from Around the Globe, Prithvi Theatre on p56]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Theatres in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Arts organizations established in 1978]]