It has been a long time since I wrote about my interactions with Habib Tanvir. Last month Chait Ram passed away and that prompts me to write again. The time when I sat up watching a theater performance was a viewing of 'Dekh Rahe Hain Nain' by Habib Tanvir at IP college auditorium in their annual festival, I think they called it 'Shruti'. The year was 1992. I have already mentioned this in my earlier post.
It was that time when I noticed the simplicity of the Chattisgarhi actors but also their power. This was quite different from watching other professional urban actors on Delhi stage like the NSD repertory , NSD students or other professional groups.
The two actors who really stood out in this performance were Deepak Tiwari and Chait Ram Yadav. ( sadly Deepak was hit by a stroke and remains partially paralyzed and Chait passed away recently, both of these greats lived with very limited means, in case of Deepak Tiwari he continues to live with very limited means)
Chait was a personality of - if I am using the word correctly- paradoxes. He did not think anyone else in the theater could act apart from himself. Since I became a friend of his , I was granted some acting talent by him, but in his own words- ' you have to learn a lot more…chutia saale'( this time said affectionately). He liked his 'old monk' and once told me 'if you do not do at least one nasha- alcohol, grass, women- you are not an artist'. He was someone who would work hard at his roles- without saying much- could be relaxed and casual till the time he took an entry- but transform as he entered the stage. Be critical of Habib saab- curse him for paying such paltry amounts as theater actors received- but be absolutely loyal towards Habib saab and Moneeka Di whom he called 'maaji'. After Moneeka di passed away he would tell me ' maaji chali gayi ab dil nahin lagta yahan'. Despite all his criticisms of the money he received from Habib saab, his absolute faith in Habib saab for what he had to do on stage was amazing- it was a complex relationship between Habib Tanvir and his actors. Once I asked Chait- so have you prepared your role? Chait says- 'Yes, I have done my bit, so 80 percent ready, the rest he has to tie up'. 'He' was a reference to Habib Tanvir.
Habib saab had a habit of drinking two small drinks with water in the evening. This was a time when he would wind up, discuss his day with people who were around him, laugh , joke, share his concerns. He usually did not drink with the chattisgarhi actors because drinking with them would mean that they would drink beyond their capacity and get loud and sometimes ugly. He usually offered me a drink in the evenings when I was around but Chait would pull me away. Then one day Habib Saab asked Shalini-'What does he get from Chait that he doesn't get with me…does he do joints?' Shalini told him that I don't. Habib saab then thought about it and said- 'Okay I get it , Chait is a loner and so is Himanshu, rare to see two loners from two different worlds become thick, but interesting' . According to Shalini, he took a puff on his pipe , released the smoke , and laughed a little as if thinking about how the two of us could be friends.
Chait was downright honest. He could never lie. When Habib saab had to check whether what the actors were telling him about an expense, rehearsal, any other event was true or not, he would always check with Chait. It was a skillful conversation though on Habib saab's part. He would ask Chait- 'Chait, aaj bus nahin mili, auto se aana padha, zyada kharcha ho gaya?' And Chait would say- 'nahin saab, sab bus se aaye hain, koi zyada kharcha nahin hua' and Habib saab would know. Moneeka di did not even have to be diplomatic in asking Chait. She would ask him directly and he would blurt out the truth.
Chait's 'chor', 'Jaisingh' , 'laddoowaala' and the other characters are memorable. He was different, brought a different energy to stage and Habib saab respected his individuality- like he did with every actor who ever worked with him. That is why strong actors enjoyed working with him.
A few incidents with Chait are most memorable. At Prithvi after a show, he had had a quarter of 'old monk' and started hitting on the still photographer. The lady was not sure what was going on. I was present and deeply embarrassed. And I asked Chait Ram-'Why do you even attempt when you know that there is no chance here?' Chait responds- 'Try karne mein kya jaata hai?' ( What is the harm in trying?') After drinking once he did try to hit on Shalini which really upset me and I did not speak to him for a long time. But then once Shalini was traveling with the troupe and their train got late on an obscure station. It was winters, there was a breeze and Shalini was not feeling too well. The women tribal dancers put some blankets on the platform to go off to sleep , got Shalini to lie down too and Chait sat there guarding her from the breeze, the whole night!!! Well, that was Chait Ram. After Moneeka di had passed away, we were traveling to Germany. Habib saab had kept a mustache. Everyone was drunk and Chait , very emotional told Habib saab- ' If she was around you would not have kept this, she would not let you, now that she is gone you are doing what you want' Habib saab nodded, they both had tears in their eyes remembering Moneeka di. Chait Ram told him to take off the mustache. Habib saab did so the very next day.
Remembering Chait is thinking about his booming voice, his intensity, his insolence, disrespect for any rules, arrogance and then of his sensitivity, empathy, affection and loyalty.
This piece is dedicated to my friend Chait who passed away recently as he went out to take a bath. He was trying to fill a bucket of water from his well in the village and he went in no time. Hope they have Habib Tanvir around there or else they would have a tough time because Chait is not the one to sit quietly and it would take him no time before he would say ' chutia saale'
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