Arts are feared by the powers that be: Sanjna Kapoor

Arts are feared by the powers that be: Sanjna Kapoor

‘‘The arts are wonderfully challenging and difficult to engage with or tackle, depending on your point of view. They are by nature, reflections of a nation's identity — at times displaying the glaring darkness in a society or celebrating the unique beauty and genius of a land and its people. They forever pose questions and provoke answers. So, the challenge is how do the arts stay independent of the powers that be, of politicians, bureaucrats, corporates and their agendas?” Asks theatre person Sanjna Kapoor, who was recently conferred with the prestigious ‘The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government for her outstanding contribution to the field of theatre. Stressing that they (the arts) are like education, and if education were to truly achieve its aim of creating young adults who are critical thinkers, with discerning approaches and questioning minds, then most people in positions of power would fear such youth. “Thus, the arts are slightly feared by the powers that be,” she tells IANS. Talking about the recent honor conferred by the French government, Kapoor says it is always a happy occasion to know one’s work is acknowledged and celebrated. “It feels like a pat on one’s back of encouragement that energizes one and enables one to continue towards realizing one’s dream. Especially in a climate like in India, that has absolutely no support or infrastructure towards seeding arts across our urban landscapes.” (IANS)

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