- Director, The Primetime Theatre Company (Theater, Arts)
“Whether I want to talk about Gandhian philosophy, Zen Buddhism, this or that, it must ultimately be a story about human beings and their relationships or issues. Everything else you want to say comes through the story in their interactions.”
Summary
Lillete Dubey is a prominent theater director and Bollywood actress in India, known for her production of popular plays such as Dance Like a Man and performances in films like Zubeidaa and Monsoon Wedding. In 1991, she founded the Primetime Theatre Company to showcase original Indian playwriting in English to local and global audiences. Dubey’s productions have completed thousands of shows across India and in over 25 countries spanning the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Dubey begins the interview by reflecting on her childhood, describing how she challenged expectations from her parents to pursue a career in science or medicine. She describes being drawn to the arts from an early age, sharing how it contrasted her father’s career in engineering and physics. However, she explains how her family also fostered a deep appreciation for history, philosophy, and classical Hindustani music which would later influence her theatrical works. After obtaining her BA, Dubey pursued a Master’s degree in English literature at Lady Shri Ram College and a second Master’s at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), both located in New Delhi. Throughout her studies, Dubey developed a passion for stage acting and performed for Yatrik, a popular English-language theater group. She explains how she received extensive training by working alongside Barry John, a well-known theater director who established the Theatre Action Group (TAG) with Dubey in 1973.
After completing her Master’s at IIMC, Dubey shares how she started receiving invitations to join the Hindi film industry. While she would join Bollywood film productions later in life, she explains how it was not the path she wanted to pursue at that point. She married her husband in 1978 and dedicated herself to raising her two children, while also opening a boutique clothing business. While she did not pursue formal training in theater, Dubey received what she calls “on-the-ground” training as she continued to act as the lead in theater productions with Barry John. She relates how the kinds of plays she acted in were varied and universal, but mostly “tried and tested” as they included well-known productions from playwrights all the way from Shakespeare to Bertolt Brecht and Arthur Miller. Dubey knew that she would eventually seek to start her own company to highlight original, local voices in Indian English-language theater.
Dubey fulfilled her goal of starting an independent theater company by founding the Primetime Theatre Company in 1991. Initially, the company performed well-known non-Indian plays to establish their brand, gradually moving on to Indian adaptations and original works. Their productions, such as Prisoner of Malabar Hill and later Dance Like a Man, became successful both critically and commercially, as they resonated with local audiences by incorporating Indian contexts and themes. Financially, Dubey explains how the company balanced local performances with international tours to maintain profitability. The company also tapped into new markets by performing in countries with little previous exposure to Indian theater. Despite challenges such as a lack of government support and the need to secure initial funding, Dubey outlines how she managed to sustain the company by reinvesting profits into new productions while maintaining high production values. The brand, Primetime Theatre Company, is also closely associated with Dubey's creative vision and direction, which ensured a consistent quality and style that audiences came to expect.
Proceeding to her career in cinema, Dubey describes how she became an “accidental film actress” in the early 2000s after she and her family moved from New Delhi to Mumbai in support of her husband’s business career. She notes how it was “unheard of” for a woman to begin starring in major films in her late 40s, a fact that she has celebrated to encourage others in the film industry. Despite her success in films alongside directors such as Shyam Benegal and Mira Nair, Dubey emphasizes how her primary passion remained with theater, which she prioritized over lucrative film offers. She relates how plays can also address social issues more freely than films due to smaller budgets and reduced financial risk. However, she stresses the importance of presenting any social issues through engaging narratives as opposed to making plays for the sole purpose of advocacy, a practice that Dubey describes as alienating for audiences. She cites her production of 30 Days in September, for example, which addresses the topic of child sexual abuse and its post-traumatic effect on women while focusing on the primary story about the relationship between a mother and her daughter.
Dubey concludes the interview by discussing the revival of her play, Jaya. First launched in 1998, Jaya is a rock opera adaptation of the Mahabharata which combines a contemporary style with traditional music and dance. She emphasizes the timeless and powerful nature of mythological narratives, noting how audiences continue to resonate with classic stories that contain enduring messages about themes such as moral duty, power and greed. Despite theater’s obstacles in India which include limited venues and a scarcity of original scripts, Dubey shares her continued commitment to spotlighting authentic Indian storytelling on local and global stages. Pointing to the successful return of live performances following the COVID-19 pandemic, she also underscores her passion for the shared experience of theater which she views as a critical component towards the lasting endurance of the craft.
Video Clips by Topic
Start-up
Lillete Dubey, Director of India-based Primetime Theatre Company, discusses her decision to establish a company that produces original plays set in local contexts, aiming to find the Indian voice in English-language theater.
Fundraising
Lillete Dubey, Director of India-based Primetime Theatre Company, describes the financial challenges her group has faced while relating the importance she places on compensating actors and technicians fairly to maintain high production quality.
Social Impact
Lillete Dubey, Director of India-based Primetime Theatre Company, shares her views on theater as a platform for social issues, contending that effective plays should engage audiences organically rather than deliver overt messages.
Art & Music
Lillete Dubey, Director of India-based Primetime Theatre Company, addresses the revival of her play “Jaya,” a rock opera adaptation of the Mahabharata, reflecting on the endurance and popularity of mythological narratives.
Additional Resources
- Reshmi AR. "The process of transforming a story into a dramatic piece excited me: Lillete Dubey" Deccan Chronicle. June 28, 2024.
- Prachi Sibal. "A retelling of the Mahabharata in rock ballad style." Mint Lounge. February 15, 2024.
- Akarsh Khurana. "A Life in the Theatre ft. Lillete Dubey | Unscripted with Akarsh Khurana." Aadyam Theatre. September 26, 2023.
- Srushti Kulkarni. "Theatre artiste Lillete Dubey brings three of her well-known plays to Bengaluru." Indulge: The New Indian Express. December15, 2022.
- Anthony Lane. "Goings on About Town - Movies: Monsoon Wedding." The New Yorker, July 10, 2020.
- Ketaki Datta. "Review of "Gauhar:" A Peep into a Bygone Era's History, Emotions and Reality." The Theatre Times, August 25, 2019.
- D. J. R. Bruckner. "Theater Review; Annals of India Through One Family's Conflicts." The New York Times, July 21, 2000.
Interview Citation Format
Interview with Lillete Dubey, interviewed by Rohit Deshpandé, Mumbai, India, 27 November 2023, Creating Emerging Markets Oral History Collection, Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School.