Aahana Kumra on how technology has evolved in theatre over the years

She might have ventured into the OTT space too, but Aahana Kumra doesn’t want to let go of her roots. The actress who’s been a part of a play like Sir Sir Sarla, continues to perform live and recently performed in a play called Constellations with Kunaal Roy Kapoor.



What fascinates the actress is the fact that just like other mediums, theatre has also evolved technologically over the years.

She says, “There’s a use of lot of new technology in theatre of late. Especially, when I travel abroad, I get surprised seeing the kind of stuff people are doing in Broadway or in West End theatre. I get amused seeing cars suspended from the top and people jumping in from here and there. There is also a large-scale use of LED screens on the set.”



Talking about the live performance scene in India, Aahana cited an example of Feroz Abbas Khan’s musical, Mughal-e-Azam. She says, “I was stunned with the costume and the LED screens usage.” Her last play too had use of technology which helped in the narration of the story better.

She says, “You cannot depend only on technology in a play, although this play I did depended a lot on how the set also looked, because it immediately transported you into a world that you need to be in. It won’t take you on a journey. The journey is within the actors. The journey you are finding is through the actors, but the way the stage is going to look or the lights are going to come in use is someone very magical.”

The biggest difference between films and theatre which Aahana feels is that the latter makes you independent. She says, “The beauty is that you are doing everything on your own. There is nobody doing anything for you and that is what I think keeps theatre what it is. Like you have to ensure that your costumes are in place, you have to do your own hair and makeup. There is nobody fussing over you and that is what is part of your process.”