Theatre personality Subodh Patnaik reminisces his memories with Bijay Mohanty

Theatre personality Subodh Pattnaik, who was a student of late Bijay Mohanty after the latter joined as a faculty member of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in the ’80s, remembered how he learnt the essence of theatre from the legendary actor just by watching his plays and direction.

“As a theatre director and a student of Bijay Sir, I would say that it’s he who defined the true meaning of theatre to me. According to Natyasashtra, there are three elements – Aangika, Bachika and there is Aaharya. Bijay Mohanty was the master of Aaharya,” he said.
Towards the later stage of his life, Bijay Mohanty did not do much of theatre. Subodh believes that his teacher could have done much better in the field of theatre if he had stuck to it.
“I know that Bijay Sir could use only 20 per cent of his talent in cinema while he was able to do more justice to his capabilities in theatre during those days. In his play Madhyanha Ra Ranga, which was staged by his team from Baripada, he used the Aaharya form of acting where he enacted with props available in one’s hands. And that play really attracted me to theatre. Working with Sir in theatre under his directions and even working as an assistant to him in the film, Bhuli Huena, which was the only film he had directed, were learning experiences,” Subodh said about the bygone days.
He said that he has watched Bijay Mohanty very closely. At some point of time, he even felt that his talent was not utilised properly in Odisha. “He stopped theatre at one point. But if he could have continued, he could have been a legend in the field of drama. He had once directed a play using the entire building of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. I have learnt a lot from him and used the learnings in my work too,” said the theatre director.
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