“Him? That’s Chhotu Singh,” says Satyajit Padhye matter-of-factly, as I stare at the picture of a wide-eyed doll who is practically his doppelgänger. Padhye calls his puppet his “naughtier, more popular alter ego.”
After all, Chhotu has met the likes of Amitabh Bachchan on KBC ’s hotseat and worked with Kamal Haasan on the sets of Unnaipol Oruvan . “He lets me express things that I can’t do as myself,” Padhye says fondly.
In fact, the multiple personalities have become a way of life for Padhye over his 15 years as a solo artist. The third-generation puppeteer says that his chartered account qualification was “just a formality,” that soon took a back-seat to the world of make-believe. “My father, mother, and brother are all puppeteers. My grandfather (Y K Padhye) was the pioneer of selling ventriloquism as entertainment a century ago.”
It’s a constant challenge, he says, to reinvent the art form amongst such established artistes at home. “We bounce ideas off each other and collaborate, but more importantly, they challenge me to do something different all the time.”
The desire to reinvent has him in Chennai for his first-ever mall show, and while he’s performed for the corporates, he is curious about tonigh’s crowd. “This is the most interactive format,” he says, when asked how he adjusts his performance for the audience. “The beauty of puppetry is its universal appeal. Through my performances, I can connect with people of all ages.”
The versatility of the medium is one of Padhye’s indulgences, as he panders to the crowd. “As a puppet, I can say almost anything without offending people,” he says with a laugh.
And yet, not everything is a cheap thrill. With strong roots in the sutradhar tradition of puppet theatre dating back to a 500-year-old performance art, Padhye and his family have felt the pressure to deliver on a consistent basis.
“There are many challenges, and having to adapt to every medium, from television and film to live shows and ad shoots, where the puppets are devised for the product, forces us to keep reviving and honing our craft,” Padhye says. As he prepares his puppets with the delicate care of a craftsman, the level of emotional investment is evident.
“In our art, the puppet outwits the ventriloquist. We might pull the strings, but ultimately, the puppet is the true hero.”
Satyajit Padhye performs at Phoenix MarketCity, Velachery, today and tomorrow at 4 pm. Entry is free.
Published - May 05, 2017 04:09 pm IST
