Abhilash Pillai
Abhilash Pillai (born 17 May 1969) is an Indian theater director, both pedagogue and scholar of contemporary Indian theatre.[1][2]
Abhilash Pillai | |
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| Born | Abhilash Pillai 17 May 1969 |
| Alma mater | National School of Drama, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Theatre director, Scenographer, Academic |
Early life and education
Abhilash Pillai was born on 17 May 1969 at Thiruvananthapuram to S.R.K. Pillai and Sarada Pillai. In 1991, he completed his Bachelor of Theatre Arts from The School of Drama, University of Calicut and secured third rank. He also completed a three-year Postgraduate Diploma in Dramatics with a specialization in Design and Direction from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, with distinction in 1994. He then obtained a two-year Diploma in Theater Production and Stage Management with honors from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London in 1998. He also did a one-year intensive training in advanced theater direction in association with eminent directors in the Orange Tree Theater, United Kingdom during 1998 and 1999 and attained his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2012.[3]
Career
Dr. Pillai began his career in theater as an art director at the Abhinaya Theatre and Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. He worked there from September 1999 to April 2001. Later, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor at National School of Drama, New Delhi and rose to become the Dean of Academics from July 2008 and June 2011. Presently, he is a visiting faculty/play director at many universities in India and abroad. He is also the Chairman of Arnav Art Trust since 2011 and a committee member of Natrang Pratishtan, New Delhi. He currently works as the Associate Professor at National School of Drama.[4][5]
Major directorial works
| Year | Title | Dramaturge | Production Company | Premier Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | The Night Side of Life | Sasikumar. V | Ex-Theatre Asia | National Theater and Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan |
| 2016 | Talatum | Sasikumar. V | Tempest with a Twist by Sasikumar. V combining Theatre actors & circus performers in a circus tent | Serendipity Art Trust,[6][7][8][9] |
| 2016 | Radio Freedom | Rajesh Tailang | National School of Drama | National School of Drama |
| 2015 | Lorem Ipsum | Rajesh Tailang | National School of Drama | National School of Drama |
| 2014 | VIVID | Combining two scripts by Mahesh Elkunchwar & Vijay Tendulkar | National School of Drama | National School of Drama |
| 2013 | Avudai | A performance based on Kanchana Natrajan's book 'Transgressing Boundaries'' | Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts New Delhi | Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts |
| 2012 | Kalo Sonakhari (Black Orchid) | A non-verbal play with the Repertory company of NSD Sikkim Centre | NSD Sikkim Centre | NSD Sikkim Centre |
| 2012 | Clowns & Clouds | National School of Drama | National School of Drama | |
| 2009 | ara Ek Bada Basheer (A Bit Big Basheer) | Rajesh Tailang combining seven works of Malayalam Novelist Vaikom Muhammed Basheer in Hindi | National School of Drama | National School of Drama[10] |
| 2009 | Helen | Sujith Shankar(translated by Rajesh Tailang) | Japan Foundation Asia | Japan, Korea & Bharat Rang Mahotsav[11] |
| 2007 | Bhooth Gadi (Ghost Train' by Arnold Ridley) | Rajesh Tailang | National School of Drama | New Delhi |
| 2007 | Tajmahal | Shama Futehallly and translated by Himanshu B Joshi | National School of Drama | New Delhi |
| 2006 | Clytemnestra | Sujith Shankar translated by Rajesh Tailang | It is a theatre collaboration between India, Iran & Uzbekistan | Bharat Rang Mahotsav |
| 2006 | Palm Grove Tales | Based on O. V. Vijayan s novelette titled 'The Legends of Khassak' Khasakkinte Itihasam, the writer and scenic designer Deepan Sivaraman | School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur | School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur |
| 2006 | Midnight's Children | Salman Rushdie's novel co-adapted and translated into Hindustani by Himanshu B Joshi | National School of Drama | Abhimanch Auditorium New Delhi & Bharat Rang Mahotsav,[12][13] |
| 2005 | Rabia-Meera | Bharatnatayam dancer- Seema Agarwal was performed in collaboration with as theatre director | Abhimanch Auditorium, New Delhi | |
| 2005 | Holi (In Punjabi and Hindi) | Mahesh Elkunchwar | An academic production put up at the Studio Theatre, Department of Indian Theatre, Punjab University | Chandigarh |
| 2005 | Shakuntala | Russian language (a Sanskrit classical play) by Kālidāsa | Russian Academy of Theatre Arts- (GITIS) | Moscow |
| 2004 | Memories of a Legend | Inspired by 'The Babur Nama- Memories of Babur', multilingual (Ten languages of South Asia) | Japan Foundation , Tokyo | |
| 2003 | Island of Blood | Multimedia performance by Anita Pratap, was performed in English, Malayalam and Manipuri | City festival in Berlin, Germany & South Asia Theatre Festival in Tokyo, Japan. | |
| 2003 | KARN | A multimedia production inspired from Mahabharata | National School of Drama | New Delhi, Korea & China |
| 2003 | Urubhangam | Bhasa's Sanskrit play translated to Kannada | It was formed from a production-oriented Theatre Workshop for the Ninasam Theatre Institute, Heggodu | Karnataka |
| 2002 | Prometheus Bound of Aeschylus | Greek classic translated into Hindi | students of National School of Drama | New Delhi |
| 2001 | Verdigris | ('KIave' in Malayalam) a production inspired from the famous novelette, Thottiyute Makan (Scavenger's Son) of Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai | Abhinaya Theatre Research Centre | Thiruvanathapuram & Festival de Almeda in Portugal, Hyderabad & Jammu |
| 2001 | Saketam (Malayalam) | C. N. Sreekantan Nair | School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur | National Theatre Festival & Fukuoka, Japan |
| 2000 | Things Can Change in a Day | Drawn from 'The God of Small Things' of Arundhati Roy | Abhinaya Theatre Research Centre | Thiruvanthapuram[15] |
| 1999 | Survivors (English) | Amrit Wilson | Orange Tree Theatre | United Kingdom |
| 1996 | Aa Manushian Nee Thanne | C. J. Thomas | School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur | International Theatre Festival of Kerala & South Zone Culture Centre, Thiruvananthapuram |
| 1994 | Lanka Lakshmi | C. N. Sreekantan Nair | ||
| 1992 | Cherry Orchard- Scene Work (Hindi) | Anton Chekhov | ||
| 1990 | Kodumkattu (Tempest) | William Shakespeare | ||
| 1990 | Subhala Vajra Thundam | Malayalam translation from Sanskrit (Children's play) by Srirama adapted by P.G. Unnikrishnan | ||
| 1989 | Oru Kootam Urumpukal, (A group of Ants) Children's play | G. Sankara Pillai |
As an Actor
- 1987 – Indrajith in Lanka Lakshmi of C.N. Sreekantan Nair, directed by Krishnan Namboodiri
- 1988 – Carpenter in Andorra authored by Max Frisch, directed by Ashoken, Thrissur School of Drama
- 1988 – Common-man in Mahendra Varman's Mathavilasam directed by Kavalam Narayana Panikker, Kerala
- 1989 – Curtain-holder in Pancharatra of Bhasa, under the direction of B.V. Karanth
- 1990 – Third Son in Bhasa's Madhyama Vyayoga, directed by Rajendren Thayattu
Awards
- 2003 – National Sanskriti Award 2002–03 (National Cultural Award) for achievements in theatre in December 2003 by Sanskriti Pratishtan, New Delhi[16]
- 2012 – Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Award for Theatre Direction[17][18]
- 2012 – Vayala Vasudevan Pillai Award for overall contribution to theatre.
- 2013 – Rangkarmee Ram Vinay Rang Samman from Ashirwad Rangmandal, Begusarai, Bihar.
References
- "Director Abhilash Pillai on exploring the mind of an artist in Blindside". 24 January 2019.
- Paul, G. S. (8 December 2011). "New act on stage". The Hindu.
- "Account Suspended". theatrefestivalkerala.com.
- Bajeli, Diwan Singh (21 May 2015). "Destination unknown". The Hindu.
- "National School of Drama – [NSD], New Delhi". Collegedunia.
- Bhuyan, Avantika (18 November 2016). "Lounge loves: A multi-disciplinary 'Tempest' from Kerala". Mint.
- Phukan, Vikram (20 December 2016). "A tent filled with Shakespeare's magic". The Hindu.
- Goa, Team Digital. "Theatre finds a new way of expression through Talatum: A Contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's Tempest – Digital Goa".
- "Shakespeare's Tempest to get a circus-style makeover". The Times of India.
- Anima, P. (29 October 2009). "The world of Basheer". The Hindu.
- Gohel, Himalay K. "Transformation in Contemporary Indian Theater: Abhilash Pillai's Helen – Archée".
- "The Japan Foundation – Performing Women – 3 Reinterpretations from Greek Tragedy". jpf.go.jp.
- "More Lights for Indian Stage". The Financial Express. 1 January 2006.
- "Schedule" (PDF). dwih.in.
- "The Director's Cut, : www.MumbaiTheatreGuide.com". mumbaitheatreguide.com.
- "The Hindu : Sanskriti Awards announced". The Hindu.
- "Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Abhilash Pillai".
- "Drama, Awards, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi". keralaculture.org.
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