LANGUAGE IN INDIA

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Volume 26:7 July 2026
ISSN 1930-2940

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Applied Theatre in the Indian Context: Forum, Legislative, and Indigenous Practices as Transformative Dramaturgy

Smruti Ranjan Raut
Dr. Saravanan Velu

Abstract

This paper explores the evolving scenario of Applied Theatre in India, examining how participatory forms such as Forum Theatre and Legislative Theatre align and intersect with indigenous theatre performance traditions to create socially transformative dramaturgies or theatre practices. Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed which is widely accepted as the Applied Theatre, has a global institutional recognition but its development in India reflects a unique synthesis between theatre of oppressed methodologies with deeply rooted performative traditions such as ritual theatre, community storytelling, and politically engaged street theatre. The study looks at how Forum Theatre practices in India goes beyond just 'rehearsal for revolution' or preparation for change. It functions as an active open conversational space of collective reflection, community engagement, and talks on policies. Legislative Theatre, though less organised and structured in the Indian framework, shows potential as a democratic tool for local participation and socio-legal awareness. By accumulating these forms within Indian aesthetic and performative traditions, the paper shows applied theatre in India can be seen as an evolving hybrid dramaturgy- not just borrowed ideas. This study uses studies of performances, talks with practitioners, and theories from performance studies to identify key benefits: community healing, giving voice to the marginalised, adapting better teaching methods and collective participatory decision or policy making. The paper proposes that applied theatre in India works not only as an interventionist practice but also as an expanded dramaturgical model—where spectators become 'spect-actors' and theatre becomes a space of blending of art, activism, and social policy. By placing Indian practices at the global applied theatre discussions, this study redefines dramaturgy as a socio-political practice deeply shaped by indigenous cultural practices.

Keywords:Applied Theatre; Forum Theatre; Legislative Theatre; Theatre of the Oppressed; Indian Performance Traditions; Participatory Dramaturgy

Introduction

When we hear the word 'Theatre', a lot of us may imagine the stage, lights, actors, beautiful set-design, music, and audience in front sitting silently in rows, sometimes shouting, clapping, smiling, ultimately experiencing an aesthetic pleasure. Theatre has always been understood as a Space of entertainment or any artistic performance. However, in various parts of the world, theatre has been used as a powerful social practice that helps communities to gather and discuss real life problems, solutions or alternatives and sometimes even to influence real life decisions. They use Drama as a way to talk about issues, share experiences and experiment with possible changes together. This form of Theatre which has stepped out of conventional theatre practices, is often referred as Applied Theatre.

Unlike conventional theatre, this takes place in specific community spaces, schools, streets, public institutions, villages, industrial labour workspaces. It not only aims to create Drama or Performance, but also to make involvement of everyone present there, create dialogues and active participation that reflects on the life of the experiencer. In this sense theatre becomes more of a collective thinking and active participation rather than mere spectatorship of the audience.

Out of the broader spectrum of the Applied theatre, one of the most influential approaches is Forum Theatre, developed by a Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal, as a part of his designed a broader methodology, which is known as "Theatre of the Oppressed". In Forum Theatre, when the performance is going on, the audience will be invited to step into performance and change the dislikes or the playing storyline, modify or suggest the changes or try possible solutions to the problems being shown. Therefore according to Boal, the audience became “Spect-actor” i.e. active participants instead of passive viewers.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Smruti Ranjan Raut
Research Scholar
Department of Performing Arts
Pondicherry University
smrutisr96@gmail.com
&
Dr. Saravanan Velu
Assistant Professor
Department of Performing Arts
Pondicherry University
velusaravanan@rediff.com
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