WOMAN TO KNOW | Stretching Beyond Limits

Today the story ‘We The Women’ has brought for you is of a woman known to be the first academically trained female theatre director of state and even received JKFMAC award by then Culture Minister for the feat. In the initial stage of her professional journey she, heading an amateur theatre group created ripples in the arena of Drama by organizing 15 days theatre workshop with the inmates of Kot Bhalwal jail, in collabaration with Department of Prisons.

And she has not stopped doing so, since then. She has travelled along with her productions in different National and international theatre festivals. In 2012, at National Theatre Festival she was the youngest female director. Also, she has been youngest Camp Director for National School of Drama, at a 40 days’ workshop. Currently she is working as Cultural officer at University of Jammu. But that’s not all; being passionate about theatre, after her 9 to 5 job, she works with her team on upcoming plays. And if that is not hard enough for you, bear in mind that she is mother of two beautiful daughters-Tasmia & Tasbia- with the younger one just three months old. Without further ado, let’s know more about her. Shall we?



Ifra Kak Mushtak was born to renowned theatre director Mushtaq Kak. For what she has accomplished today, it is a surprise to know that although she was exposed to theatre from her childhood, she was not allowed to act initially. But Ifra would participate in every event in school which involved acting. During her school she participated in ‘Children Theatre Workshop’ which opened up to her new and deeper side of theatre unfamiliar to her before, despite being brought up in such environment. Like every kid Higher education meant no extra- curricular activity for Ifra as well. But right after she finished her school she went to Delhi to Shri Ram Centre for performing art, which was headed by her father.
“I experienced a completely different environment in Delhi. It was like I knew nothing about Theatre before. I learnt for the first time that one can pursue studies in theatre and attain Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in this stream,” shares Ifra.

Ifra graduated from Women College Parade and went to Hydrabad for her further studies. She is Masters in Performing Arts (Theatre) with specialization in Design & Direction, from Hyderabad Central University.
Coming back to Jammu, Ifra decided to finally make the required changes in the arena of Theatre here, which she had been dreaming of for so long. She even turned down offers from universities to be a faculty member or to direct movies for them. She also made it to the prestigious ‘International Performance Research Programme’ at University of Warwick, UK but opted out because she decided to get married on being persuaded by her ill mother. But it was not a halt; more of a new beginning. “I have worked more after getting married than I had done before. My husband Al Sohrab and my in-laws not only support me but encourage me to work more,” expresses Ifra.
Initially when Ifra stepped into the field of theatre she acted in various plays and also performed solo at various occasions. She performed solo in ‘Mantri Ji Ki Moochh’ in 2006, ‘Ram Khilawan’ in 2007 and played in various play between 2006 and 2011 like Mother Courage, Satya Harischandra, Ipheginia, Dooth Ghadotkach, Reflection, Mother Courage, Ipheginia, Alberts’s Bridge, Jameela- an autobiography of sex worker, Kanjoos etc. Ifra wanted to become a director like her father but not quite like her father. She wanted to carve a niche for herself and distinguish herself from the form and style of her father. It was a blessing that she did not had to try for it, coming naturally to her.
Despite trying to contrast her work to that of her father, Ifra says that he is her lucky charm. “He blocks the ‘last seen’ of my play on his YouTube and I believe that it is more of his blessing. He is my biggest inspiration; he taught me the nitty-gritty of being a director but his biggest lesson is to be patient with the people you work with. Even being a director himself, he never spoon-fed me to be one or tried to influence me with his style. He ensured that I grow into me,” elaborates Ifra.

Ifra introduced the concept of Devise Performance in J&K by designing and directing "Self Stories", a devised performance in 2011. To validate that theatre as an art form can be therapeutic she did fortnight long, spot devised project of a theatre workshop with the inmates of Kot Bhalwal Central jail, which is one of the most sensitive jails of the country.
“It actually worked. I remember a young boy who had accidentally committed a murder and for days he did not speak while we conducted the workshop. Then about a week later, his eyes shone, his silence broke and he voluntarily came forward to participate and derive joy from acting,” shares Ifra.
She has worked with the orphans of Rainbow Home, Hyderabad and Deaf and Dumb children of Ahuti Centre, Hyderabad with good results.

Ifra has a long list of plays she has designed & directed, like a concept performance based on the atrocities on women in Kashmir ‘Sordid Tales of Suffering’ at Central University of Hyderabad in 2011; Indian Adaptation of Brechtt's Three Penny Opera as ‘Do Kodi Ka Khel’ in 2012; Shankar Shesh's ‘Ek Aur Dhronacharya’ in 2013; Asghar Wajahat's ‘Jis Lahore Nei Wekheya o Jameya Hi Nei’ in 2014; "’Aurat’ in 2014; Narender Mohan's ‘No Man's Land’ in 2015; ‘Chahaton Ka Kya’ dramatized by Uma Jhunjunwala and based on a novel by Krishan Chander ‘Ek Crore Ki Bottle’ in 2015; Mahesh Elkunchwar's ‘Pratibimbh’ in 2016; Suman Kumar's ‘Bunnu Miyan Bye Bye’ based on the story by Harishankar Parsai and many more.
Ifra has also assisted in several plays like Prof Mohan Maharishi in Tom Stopard's ‘Albert's Bridge’; Prof NJ Bhikshu in Suphoceles ‘Oedipus Rex’ as well as in ‘An accidental death of an anarchist’.
But was it easy? Being the only woman in the men dominated field in the early days, Ifra was not easily accepted, especially because she wanted to make theatre more stream-lined and procedural unlike the prevailing practices.

Theatre is a comprehensive and complex form of art and expression and Ifra has left no side of theatre out of her list of experiences. Designing set is one of the most important part of a drama and she has done so in ‘An accidental death of an anarchist’ directed by Mushtaq Kak. Lighting on stage is another aspect of theatre in which Ifra puts in her heart and mind. She has in fact assisted in designing Lights for couple of plays directed by her father like Ghair Zaroori Log, Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts, Mohan Singh's ‘Kala Suraj’ while has designed set for Rabinder Nath Tagore's ‘Daakghar’ directed by Dr Sudhir Mahajan.
Ifra has also worked as music designer in ‘Ishq Malangi’, Henrik Ibsen's ‘Ghosts’, Asghar Wajahat's ‘Jis Lahore Nei Wekheya o Jameya Hi Ne’, Narender Mohan's ‘No Man's Land’, Brechtt's ‘Three Penny Pera’ as ‘Do Kodi ka Khel’. According to her whistles and applauses are not what makes a play successful, at times they are more like disturbance while the play is being carried on.
“You can gather a crowd which would appreciate you and not your play. There is a difference. To be a successful director is to convey to the actor what you want to convey to audience and not make the actor merely puppet. Also, it should the quality of audience and not quantity that shown swoon directors with exuberance,” says Ifra.

Ifra has wherever possible tried to learn more and share what she has gained with her learning and experiences and therefore she has conducted and participated in various, local, national and international workshops. These include Children’s Theatre Workshop- Dr Sudhir Mahajan, Forum Theatre Workshop-Sruthi Bala (London), Scenography Workshop- Deepan Sivaraman (London & India)-, Theatre Management Workshop- Kunt (Norway), Theatre Design Workshop-David Whittan (Secretary General, IFTR, England)- 2010, Invisible theatre Workshop- Devendra Nath Sankaranarayan; Scenography Workshop- Robin Das (NSD); Acting Workshop- Douglas-Complicite (London)-2010, Community Theatre- Ola Johanson-Switzerland-2010, Advanced Scenography Workshop- Deepan Sivaraman (London& India), Forum Theatre Workshop- Mark- USA-2010, Acting Workshop- Rajesh Tailang- besides various workshops of National School of Drama.
She has also been invited as guest lecturer at various occasions. She was invited to National School of Drama to give a lecture on Applied Drama to the participants of Technical Theatre workshop organized by National School of Drama in Jammu in 2015; in Annual Children Theatre Workshop organized by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in 2016 and in Dept of Hindi to give a lecture on Jammu Mein Hindi Rangmanch in 2015.

Apart from all of this, Ifra has participated in the Bharat Rang Mahotsav which is the biggest international theatre festival conducted by the National School of Drama (NSD), besides in 'The Museum of Lost Pieces' and ‘Reflection’ which was brought to stage in the festival by the Department of Theatre, University of Hyderabad. She has also dramatized ‘Chekhov in my Life’ which was performed by Sri Ram Centre repetory Company, New Delhi.
She has also worked as Project Fellow in Department of Hindi, Jammu University and researched on the topic ‘Jammu Kashmir Mein Hindi Rangmanch’ under the guidance of Prof Parmeshwari Sharma.
Ifra Kak is also trying to contribute by doing Community Theatre in J&K. She had done a community theatre workshop with the Gujjar and bakarwaal community of Nomad people in collabaration with Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust and has been working on Molliers ‘Kanjoos’ an adaptation in Gojri Language which will be designed and directed by her after a month long workshop with the community.

Ifra is a recipient of State Academy Award for Best Direction for play ‘Do Kodi Ka Khel’ in 2013 and State Academy Award for Best Direction for play ‘Pratibimbh’ in 2015. Her dramatization of Lydia Avilov’s autobiography “Chekhov in my life” which was also awarded ‘Mahindra Excellence Award’ and was recognized as Best of the Year, production by Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi.
Ifra is very young to amass such loads of work experience and accomplishment in the field but her list of work and participation speaks a lot about the focus, dedication and hard work she must have put in to achieve all she has. She is quintessential for every woman out there who is passionate about something and wants to give her dreams her every bit. On being asked about her ideology Ifra says, “I do not believe that Theatre is to give message, I believe it is meant to provoke thoughts rather than putting in the thoughts in the mind of the audience.”

Ifra was eight months pregnant when she directed and executed her much awaited dream play ‘Widow’ in March and around Nine months pregnant at time of ‘Ek tha Dhronacharaya’, proving it that becoming a mother does not impair a woman in any way. Now she is working for her upcoming play which will be performed in around a month, handling her job, family and kids as well.
To women out there Ifra’s words are, “Start prioritizing, be bold. Also, I would also like to quote my father that kids should not only know their passion but also know why are they passionate about it”