Director Bimal Subedi has an astonishingly broad range of interests. Cricket, badminton, dance, movies, music, forestry, mathematics, the inner workings of the society—he can talk in depth about any of these subjects, any given day. The combination of all of which, he says, he finds in theatre. The director of a number of plays—including Sandaju Ko Mahabharat, Makai Ko Arkai Kheti and a Nepali rendition of Hamlet—Subedi also was the co-founder of the Theatre Village. The venue that hosted the Village’s operation is no longer in existence; Bimal is surprisingly still enthusiastic: he looks forward to building back the Theatre Village institution a better way. In an interview with the Post’s Timothy Aryal, Subedi—an engaged, thoughtful speaker—talks about his childhood, Theatre Village, his life in theatre and his plans for the future. Excerpts:

What forced the Theatre Village in Uttar Dhoka to close?

The end of a contract. We had agreed for a total of two years of contract and it expired this year. But the way we had equipped the theatre was really extraordinary; we had given our best to make it a technically sound theatre hall. The budget it took might perhaps amount to more than what it would take to build it altogether. But since it no longer exists we are currently running our classes from a different place and we hope to settle on a permanent location soon.

Before we continue talking about the Village, can you please recount your childhood days?

I hail from a spiritual family. My father was a bureaucrat and was really into spirituality. A subject I think I have inherited from him. My school days were spent learning GK by rote, as I was encouraged to do so, since everyone wanted me to become a bureaucrat like my father. While I would rote, I would often find myself mulling over the essence of existence and life. I would watch movies in a local high vision hall, sometimes bunking my classes, while sometimes during the quiet of the night. The larger-than-life characters portrayed by the movies would entice me.

I think I was caught by the acting bug then.

After that? What prompted you to take theatre as a career?

I completed my intermediate education from Sindhuli; for my Bachelor’s degree I migrated to the Valley. I took math as a major. While I was studying in college, I actually lived in a temple in Kuleshwore. I would sleep at its premises; not because my parents would not afford my education, but because if they could have it their way, I would be studying to become a civil servant. I wanted the liberty to do what I was interested in. I was interested in the arts: books, movies and music. I would clean up the temple premises everyday as my rent and payment for a classical music class at the temple. I learned the basics of playing instruments that way.

Then one day, I saw a small advertorial in the Saptahik magazine for a free acting class. I applied and enrolled and learned the basics for 45 days. Then I took classes at Rastriya Nachghar and worked at the Actors’ Studio. After some time, I got a chance to study at the famed National School of Drama in New Delhi. I came back and the Theatre Village was born in collaboration with a close circle of friends.

So many ups and downs… How are we to connect dots between the life you have lived and the career you have chosen?

Well, there is a very close relationship. It was while I was staying under the temple that I got to see the real face of Kathmandu. There were so many things happening underneath the surface: Sexual abuses, drug dealings, and robberies. I lived in a society that was pretty much unknown to a commoner. I draw my source materials from them even today, while I’m doing a play.

The society always features strongly in your plays. What are your inspirations?

While it’s true that I draw my sources from the society, I would say the motivation of whatever I do lies in extreme hard work and honesty. I always push myself to the extreme. While doing a play, say, I can’t sleep for nights. I believe it would be an injustice to the audience if I do not give my fullest. See, there are audiences who come to watch my play even while they don’t have anything to eat. If I cannot speak to them, that would be a humiliating for me. We theatre artists have a big responsibility on our shoulders: to make audiences more aware. While doing a play, I am more concerned about how I can pass something fruitful to the audiences than mere entertainment. But more than anything, what attracts me to theatre is the direct interaction with the audiences. We can see the effects of the play reflected in the audiences’ eyes.

What are you planning with Theatre Village?

When I was a kid, one fateful day, we lost everything to a landslide that swept away everything we had. We became refugees overnight, without anything to go on with. My father was away and he too had very little resources. It took too long for our family to find our footing again. I think it’s the same case with the Theatre Village. We have to learn from the past. We are very enthusiastic about the future. We are currently running our acting workshops in a rented building in Shantinagar, and we hope we will soon settle on a new permanent site. More importantly, we are gearing to develop it as an international theatre centre. We are also planning to host an international drama fest; probably we could host it sometime in January-February. We aim to take Nepali theatre to the international arena.

What is your take on the current Nepali theatre scene?

We Nepali theatre artists are fortunate, despite not having the best of productions; we still have the best audiences in the world. If there are two parties that have taken us to where we are today, it’s the media and the audience. One thing we Nepali artists lack desperately is the expertise required for theatre. We expect constructive suggestions from the media so that we can push ourselves toward betterment. But all in all the scene looks promising; we have come a long way from where we started.