With the passing away of Tom Alter, the theatre world has lost one of its veteran and accomplished actors. Well versed in Hindi and Urdu, he understood his role well, delivering an impactful performance every time. A regular on Delhi stage, he has featured in many plays like Ghalib (Urdu musical), Maulana Azad (monologue) and K.L. Saigal (Hindi musical) among others. In all these productions Alter stood out with his ability to become the character without copying them.
Having directed Alter’s first Urdu play Maulana Azad in Delhi, Sayeed Alam, who attended his funeral, recalls his first interaction with him. “I had finished writing the script and was looking for an actor to play Maulana. It wanted an actor who not only had the talent and capability to fit the role but also someone well versed in Urdu literature and poetry. Tom Alter was referred to me. Having seen him in films like Aashiqui and Kranti, I was unsure if he could play Maulana. Then I saw Shatranj Ke Khilari in which he spoke impeccable Urdu, perhaps better than Saeed Jaffrey who had a sound grounding in the language. Tom agreed to do the role and that was the beginning of our long professional and personal relationship.”
Initially Alam gave him the script in Devnagari and they rehearsed for a week in Mumbai. “Just before leaving for Delhi, he asked me to courier the Urdu version of the play making me aware that he could read and write Urdu.” Praising him, Alam, says, Tom always adhered to his direction to speak correct Urdu on stage. “Tom rarely erred and when he did, he always admitted immediately. He was a fine artiste and a humble person.”
Danish Iqbal in whose Chacha Chhakkan in Action, Tom played the Uncle Podger type role, observes, “His entire family was devoted to Urdu literature and poetry and any family member who claimed mastery over the language was tested.” On enquiring how, Iqbal reveals, “Firstly, they were asked to write poetry. Also they were made to answer questions from family members, sitting behind a curtain, in order to ascertain not just diction and usage of the responses and also to gauge the culture and customs of the place.”
An actor par excellence, both Alam and Iqbal have seen Tom up close to know how dedicated he was to the craft. “Completely focussed during his peak, he would simultaneously do three productions without ever compromising on quality. Later, on occasions, when he missed or dropped a line or passage due to poor health, he would cleverly weave them into the following dialogues without the audience ever realising. Yet he would immediately concede his error after the show,” says Iqbal.
Acting mantra
Having done more than 200 shows of Maulana Azad and 100 of Ghalib and K.L. Saigal, Alam, found that Tom did not merely act or emote the role on the stage but became the character on the stage. “Instead of conveying feelings and emotions through his voice and actions, Tom believed in feeling the person and interpreting it honestly. He would say, ‘Neither the audience nor we have seen Maulana or Ghalib. What we must do, is know more about them, internalise that and try to honestly depict it.’ Tom spoke the mind and not language of the character. Having learnt this from him, I use it in my profession.”
Recently Tom played Mahatma Gandhi in Alam’s Mohan Se Mahatma which was well received by the audience. “Here going beyond the usual depiction, Tom tried to bring out Gandhiji’s subtle sense of humour through his eyes and other facial gestures.” Agreeing with Alam, Iqbal adds, “Tom would internalise the role. While playing Azad, he went beyond the script by reading books by and on him. He also read what others, like Jawaharlal Nehru had said and written about Azad. All this enabled him to portray that extra about the person beyond the script.”
Tom would always be completely involved in his projects. Remembering this, Alam narrates, “During ‘Maulana Azad’ I asked Tom to walk around the stage instead of sitting at one place. He countered, ‘do people in their daily life keep moving up and down in their home. So why should we do that on stage.’ Similarly, once we used a red light to highlight Maulana’s drawing room. Tom quipped, ‘how many people will use this colour in real life.’ I decided not to use red lights. What is truly remarkable is he would suggest and never insist, leaving it to me, the director, to decide.”
Unaffected by stardom
Alam admits that it was Tom who drew the audience. “His presence was vital yet he never showed off his star stature or exploited it. On the contrary, he under played it. After ‘Maulana Azad’ was over he would tell the audience that the play was my effort. A down to earth person, he never liked star treatment. Rehearsing at Shri Ram Centre when tea was served in a glass to him while others got it in plastic cups, he refused. Touring other cities, he insisted on staying with everybody even when accommodation was offered to him in star hotels.”
Sense of humour
Alam describes Tom’s trait of making people laugh as subtle and charming. “Comparing playback singers, I praised Mohammad Rafi vociferously prompting him to remark, ‘You are great Rafian’ punning on the word ruffian.” Iqbal says his timing was perfect. “Compering the launch event of a new tea blend prepared by Anamika Singh, Tom asked her parents present there if their daughter was the first flush. Flush in tea tasting means the first leaves of tea. Such was his depth in a subject and his knack of using them appropriately.”
Such a complete actor and human being will surely be missed by his friends and fans. Alam in a choked voice says, “Tom was quick to learn and do things and he quickly left us as well. He still had much to do in theatre and literature. I’ll always miss him as a friend, actor and companion.”