The Forever Young and Maitshaphrang Movement has written to the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, requesting for the inclusion of “Theatre/Drama’” as part of the Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy 2025.
The movement appreciated the state government’s invitation for public feedback “to ensure broad-based participation in shaping the Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy 2025” so as to tap the abundant talent available in the state not only in the field of music but also in “strengthening the Local Film Ecosystem and nurturing talent and positioning Meghalaya as a Central Hub for Film Production in the North East” by offering financial and other incentives.
However the Forever Young and Maitshaphrang stated that it regretted that so far, the talent to act and perform through theatre has not been given the priority it deserves.
“We would like to bring to your kind notice that there is a lot of talent in performing arts through Drama among school students which gets wasted once they have passed out from their respective schools because of the absence of institutions to cultivate and enhance these talents and one of the reasons being the lack of government support,” president Michael N Syiem said.
According to him theatre is a non commercial activity, at least for now, the state.
“…but it is also a stepping stone to commercial ventures like movies/film production and commercial advertisements in the state as well as in the national and even in the international level,” Syiem added in his letter to the Chief Minister.
According to him, the Forever Young together with the Maitshaphrang has been several street and stage plays in the past both in Khasi and English.
They had also performed two plays on Doordarshan Kendra, Shillong and a literacy promotion play for NEHU.
Syiem said that the ones posted on Youtube are “Papa Shano Phi Don” and “Burom la Uba lap” both musical and in Khasi and their latest English musical play “Juliet and Romeo”.
“But due to inadequate financial assistance from the government we are not able to stage our plays up to the standards required,” Syiem added.
