Hyderabad: Circus back in town at NTR Stadium

By Sruthi Kuruganti Hyderabad: Huge colourful tents pitched on an open ground, music blaring out and performers dressed in bright attires, all gearing up to go on the stage as the crowd holds on to their breath for hours of enthralling performances. Missing in action for a few years, circus to many is a thing […]

By Sruthi Kuruganti

Hyderabad: Huge colourful tents pitched on an open ground, music blaring out and performers dressed in bright attires, all gearing up to go on the stage as the crowd holds on to their breath for hours of enthralling performances. Missing in action for a few years, circus to many is a thing of the past.

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However, bringing back the same excitement and breathtaking performances — from acrobats and trapeze acts to tightrope walkers and magicians — is Rambo Circus Company, who are performing at the Hunar Haat exhibition at NTR Stadium in the city.

Making a comeback after two years of pandemic, the circus artists are quite enthusiastic about the performance.

Biju, a circus veteran shares that not only was the pandemic a difficult time for them financially, but many artists suffered mentally as well. “It is a big relief to be performing after the long hiatus due to the pandemic. I have been with the circus for about 40 years now, and suddenly we didn’t have any work due to the pandemic. Everything was shut down. I was very depressed during the time, and even had suicidal thoughts back then. Circus for me is not just my work, but my passion,” shares Biju, whose life story is made into a Netflix biopic called Painted.

For many artists, the circus is the only source of their livelihood. While for others like dwarf artists Anil Kumar (35) and Abbas (25), who have worked in movies with the likes of Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, it is the smile on their audiences faces that keeps them going.

“Circus is our identity. No one recognises my face, but once I put the makeup on, people come to me for selfies,” he says.

Circus has had a special place in the country’s entertainment history. However, with the advent of technology, especially television, the circus audience has thinned. While many might claim that it is a dying art, Sujit P Dilip, the owner of Rambo Circus Company is working hard to not only keep this culture alive, but also take it on the international stage.

“International circus artistes get a lot of respect,” says Sujit, adding, “They get a circus artiste card, they travel in rich cars. But in India the circus culture is losing out. I am working on reviving those old times and taking the Indian circus on an international platform.” Sujit plans to open a circus school, train artists and take them to international stages in the future.

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