In fact, it is a bane, say some theatre enthusiasts. However, the disappearance of quality playwrights compounds the problem. I still have a loyal audience, he remarks. But in this bleak scenario, Wagh keeps up his annual promiseof coming out with a new play every year, on New Years eve, at the stroke of midnight. So, a producer like me, who has come out with 78 plays and 15,000 shows, doesnt get a good audience today, he adds. Who will come here to see the plays There is the attraction of the TV channels too. Now there is a theatre every 25 km in Mumbai. But the city has grown and the amenities have, accordingly, kept pace. Since the audience had limited choice, they flocked here to see Marathi plays. Wagh says 25 years ago, there were just a couple of theatres like Shivaji Mandir in Dadar and Sahitya Sangh in Girgaum, Mumbai. There are sponsors, but no one extends any help to Marathi theatre. He should know, having been around in the field for over 40 years now and having set records for his plays not just in India but abroad as well. Says Mohan Wagh, a veteran producer, it is difficult to get the audience in. But for serious theatre there are few takers. The audience does come for rib-tickling comedies and the usual love stories. We called up the theatre and the tickets were sold out. When my friend and I wanted to see a Marathi play, I suggested a bana.

It requires a huge cast and audiences seem to love it, says playwrite, Ramu Ramanathan. They are well-structured music and dance performances that are woven into the story. Marathi banas are the most popular today. Farcical plays and musicals are all that are on offer. But over the last few decades, Marathi theatre has lost some of its glory. It was known for its vibrancy, its meaningful plots, evolved music and hugely talented actors.

Marathi drama