When a cultivated and knowledgeable drama buff thinks of theatre he is immediately reminded of ancient Greece, where drama/theatre used to be a great pastime. The statue of Dionysus, the god of wine, used to be carried through the streets of Athens leading a procession to the outdoor hillside theatre, where plays were staged. More than one play, religious in content and patriotic in character, used to be staged daily in those days. The audiences were charmed by the dramatic presentation of the stories of gods and heroes, who had the added excitement of witnessing a contest for the best playwright.
The origin of theatre in the sub-continent is attributed to the Ramayan and the Mahabharata, the two holy books of the Hindus, which are considered among the oldest in the world. Greek and Indian dramas are reputed to have interacted with each other, metamorphosing into a refined art form.
The New Theatre Movement in the sub-continent of which Agha Hashr was one of the pioneers and promoter, served to develop, promote and incorporate new elements of stagecraft in contradistinction to those, which were based on the parameters set in the ancient Sanskrit plays. Despite this forward movement, some highly creative persons in theatre were not fully content with its progress. They became restless but determined in their search for new tools and techniques to improve theatrical presentations. They were also acutely aware of the world beyond the stage door and were eager to make creative contact with it. The protagonists of the New Theatre Movement resolved to develop fresh standards but no shackles, a vision but not a pre-conception for a future repertory to be experienced equally by performers and their audiences. It was due to these considerations that theatre became a positive force in the lives of the people.
Modern Indian theatre did not become completely 'Indian" until the beginning of the 20th century. The inclusion of Agha Hashr Kashmiri's plays in its repertoire helped Indian theatre to attain maturity. Before his appearance on the cultural firmament, theatre in the sub-continent was much under the influence of the techniques and formats of Sanskrit drama and plays from the Ramayan and the Mahabharat were staged frequently.
To many theatre-goers, especially the urbanites, it is entertainment associated with neon signs and phony glitter with the opulence and gaudiness that masks shallowness. Before the quality of drama began to atrophy, touring theatrical companies provided a better alternative, especially for the village folks, who were entertained by the millions every year. Although a majority of theatrical companies originated in large cities like Calcutta, Bombay, Lucknow and Lahore, it was not a matter of location as such that mattered. It was a state of mind. If city theatre evoked images of shallowness and superficial slickness, the touring rural theatre brought to the mind images of dedicated artistes, who spent gypsy-like lives, always on the move, visiting places through every nook and cranny of the British India.
The stories of Alfred, Maiden and Parsi Theatre Companies and other pioneering groups hold much interest for those who want to observe the sub-continental theatre in its proper perspective. One must, however, consider the efforts of these groups both as a modern development as well as an extension of Sanskrit and Hindi stage.
Prima facie the history of Indian theatre seems simple. Soon after the consolidation of Parsi Theatre, several noteworthy efforts to transform Indian stage into a modern art form were made almost simultaneously at Calcutta and Bombay. The emergence of Parsi Theatre seemed an outcome of a wealthy family's interest in social welfare and entertainment of the masses.
The artistic achievements of the Alfred Theatre in Calcutta and the Parsi Theatre in Bombay were manifest in two major productions, featuring Occidental and Oriental stylization. One was the first professional production of Inder Sabha, written during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shahof Ovvadh, and the other, the Hindu classic Mahabarat.
For senior denizens Agha Hashr Kashmiri hardly needs an introduction. A man of many parts, he was at once a poet, a playwright, an orator and a humorist. Born in Amritsar in the early 1880s (some researchers claim Benaras to be his birthplace) he was bred and raised in Benaras, where his father did business in Kashmiri shawls.
From early childhood, he showed strong proclivity for creativity, first by composing poetry and later in writing dramas for theatre companies. As a schoolboy, he was inspired by a theatre company, which visited Benaras. He literally ran away from home depriving himself of the filial love of his parents and ended up in Bombay, where he got a job with Alfred Theatre Company. His stay there in the beginning put relentless strains on his impressionable mind and emotions, exposing his endurance to a massive trial.
Agha Hashr's contributions to the flowering of drama (theatre) as a literary genre have been widely acclaimed by critics, historians and artistes, who were associated with the development, refinement and promotion of theatrical arts. He was a fire brand orator, a perceptive poet, a prolific writer and surprisingly a well-informed theologian, who participated in several declamation contests with the Hindu and Christian priests. Always feeling the pulse of the people, and like a good doctor, he kept contempraniety of the situation in mind when writing plays, reflecting social, political, cultural and economic ethos of the period, including specific interests and attitudes of the people. His plays and his poetry echoed the sentiments of the people. However, through his plays, he conveyed optimism and hope for the masses.
Agha Hashr's first job in Bombay was with Alfred Theatrical Company for which he wrote five plays: Mureed-e-Shauq, Maar-e-Aasteen, Pakdaman, Thandi Aag and Aseer-e-Hirs. The Company always looked for new talent and the famous and soon-to-be famous writers and artistes provided it good plays. Hashr used his job with this company as a springboard to jump on to greater heights in popularity. The New Theatre Movement was eclectic in nature and was not dogmatic in its philosophy. It became evident that curiosities about life and creative art and a remarkable willingness to conduct experiments in a variety of styles characterized the New Theatre Movement. This tendency was vividly exemplified by the conduct of avant-garde writers and promoters and the greatest asset of the Movement was the discovery of Agha Hashr Kashmiri
From 1897 to 1931 Agha Hashr wrote 32 plays, a novel, Bumbaeey (Bombay) and a large volume of poetry. The thrust of his plays was on moral and social issues; political and nationalistic yearnings of the people and on other variegated topics. Included among the popular plays of the Indian Shakespeare were Turki Hoor, Khoobsoorat Balaa, Yahudi Ki Larrki, Rustom aur Sohrab, Nek Parveen, Aankh Ka Nasha in the moral and social category, and Hindostan, Dil Ki Pyas and Samaj Ka Shikar in the political and nationalistic domains. His other popular plays were Khawab-e-Hasti, Aurat Ka Pyar, Naara-e-Tauheed, not forgetting to mention Sharoon Kumar, Sita Bun Baas, Bhagat Soordas and Bhisham Pritigia in the mythological category.
He died in Lahore on April 28, 1935, while working on the script of his film Beesham Pritigia, which did not reach the production stage. Before shifting to Lahore, he set up his own theatrical company, which failed to bring him much financial return.
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