It is important to stir curiosity among kids: Geetanjali Kulkarni

Known for her work in films such as Court (2015), Anandi Gopal, and Photograph, Geetanjali Kulkarni has also garnered attention for her play, Piya Behrupiya. The artiste is in the city for a talk on importance of theatre during childhood.

For the past three years, Geetanjali has been working on a project called Goshtarang, which introduces books and authors to students in rural and tribal areas using theatrical performances. She says, “I will be talking about how literary performances impact children. How it improves their reading and writing skills. I have been working with the teachers and kids in Palghar district. Four years ago, we performed seven stories in seven villages in a puppetry format. There was a girl, who was so intrigued that she watched the action behind the scenes. We realised that this is the motive of our programme — to create curiosity among children.”

In 2017, Goshtarang Fellowship was introduced to enable selected candidates to work in rural and tribal areas. They will be trained in a residential workshop by a theatre expert. Well known theatre experts such as Chinmay Kelkar and Vidyanidhee Vanarase are some of its eminent trainers. “In the first year, we reached 10,000 students, in the second year we touched 17,000 and this year we are getting in touch with almost 25,000 students in 22 districts of Maharashtra,” she says.

Today, in the talk, she will throw light on how growing up with literature benefits children. “When you use expression, your learning becomes enjoyable. It is not only about understanding the word, but it also about converting it into an expression. The word becomes live for you. This process is important in childhood. Theatre includes all other arts — visual, audio and text — thus making it a great option for the growing years. If theatre is made a compulsory subject in school, it will help the overall growth and development of a child,” she says.

Geetanjali adds that one comes across good literature on a daily basis but language could be a barrier. “I have seen how language is a major hurdle when it comes to rural kids. Hence, it is important to do activities that create a conducive environment for them. It has to be a course of habit,” she says.

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What: Kaan Drushti, by Natak Company

Where: Leisures Club, Prabhat Road

When: Today, from 6pm to 8pm.

First Published: Apr 20, 2019 20:46 IST