Mohd Yaseen
An actor who has carved his name on the theatre landscape of the country and continues to mesmerize audience with his flawless acting has done it for the state of Jammu and Kashmir by getting highest Indian recognition Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 2017 Born and brought up in Jammu, Anil Tickoo is probably the first actor from the state of Jammu and Kashmir to get National recognition in the post-India Independence period in the field of acting.
“Theatricals are not bound to entertainment, expression of interest, but also serve a strong medium of communication, creating awareness, making public opinion, transmitting tradition and culture of the region,” says Anil Tickoo, a versatile stage and TV actor. Serving for the last three decades in the field, Anil is of the firm belief that consistent dedication, hard work, discipline, energy, stamina and control over one’s body, speech and mind are the basic essentials for a good actor. Anil doesn’t require a word of praise as theatre goers are well acquainted with the potential of this versatile, talented actor that leaves the audiences awestruck, after his spellbinding performances. Today people know him as the one of the greatest actor of Indian Theatre and it’s just because of his selfless efforts and devotion towards his work
Son of Pushkar Nath Tickoo who was the well-known radio playwright in Urdu, Anil was born in 1970 in the family of literature background. Known by the beast of acting and a master degree holder in Physics, Anil is considered as one of the most celebrated actors of Indian Theatre and has the credit of having participated over 150 National and International Theatre Festivals including Frankfurt International Theatre Festival, Frankfurt (Germany) and Days of India in Russia. Since last 30 years, he is working as Astt. Director (Hony.) and has been given the responsibility of production department of Natrang. In addition to this he has also been associated with the projects like ‘Theatre for Mass Motivation’ and the Theatre for Population education of Natrang supported by UNESCO and UNICEF.
He started his career in this field in 1989 with Natrang and has acted in over one hundred fifty major plays as lead actor which included ‘Bawa Jitto’, ‘Mahabhoj’, ‘Ghumayee’, ‘Bhoma’, ‘Ghera’, ‘Comedy of Terrors’, ‘Suno Eh Kahani’, ‘Bagia Bancha Ram Ki’, ‘Kanjoos’, ‘Fandi’, ‘Holi’, ‘Poster’, ‘Aap Hamare Hain Kaun’, ‘Rakt-Beej’, ‘Kava Chala Hans Ki Chaal’, “Bichoo”, ‘Mind Games’ ‘Sainyan Bhaye Kotwal’and many more.
During I was in GGM Science College and at point of time many of us don’t know about the word theatre, I got an opportunity to showcase my talent in the play ‘Bhoma’ in 1989 where I found myself be made for theatre under the exceptional guidance of Padmashree Balwant Thakur. In the last three decades, I always found myself in a learning process where I always thank my juniors and well wishers who always supported in my journey. Now I am having more responsibilities on my shoulders after achieving this prestigious award.
Says Kusum Tickoo, another artises”An actor par excellence is just a phrase for us but Anil is the man who is living with it. A person who is a Master Degree holder in Physics would have been a Head of Department but he chose to be in Cultural Academy at a lower allowances just for the reason to get more closer towards art and to quench his thrust of acting”.
A thorough dedicated actor of the state of Jammu and Kashmir who has done many plays of Indian Theatre, how can one forget his character in the play ‘Comedy of Terrors’ directed by Sanjeev Gupta in which he played the double character and left the audience stunned. A gentleman who is at the helm of affairs is a one man institution who not only played many characters on stage but also directed plays like ‘Baba Ki Jai Ho’, ‘Damaad’, ‘Panja’, ‘Natak Nahein’, ‘Khel Ghar’, ‘Refund’, ‘Chehre’, ‘Salvaton Mein Sanwaad’, ‘Baje Dhindhora’, “Kya Yeh Sach Hai” and Tankara Ka Gaana. His directorial works were much appreciated for scenic design and creative lighting.
While talking to his mentor Balwant Thakur who himself is a Padmashree awardee, he says ‘I salute his versatility, perhaps he is amongst very few actors who are vested with immense diversity. Apart from being a good actor, he is exceptionally a great designer and conceptualizer and has been a great help while I executed mega theatre productions.’
While talking his wife, Rajni Tickoo, she said that he has been doing theatre before our marriage and I always insisted him not to do theatre as I always had thought that it is wastage of time. But, today when I look back and see the things from his wide range of creativity, I find myself wrong and his consistency, dedication, struggle and his persistence has made the difference today and I am feeling proud that he has brought laurels for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
He has also assisted in various Children’s Theatre Workshops and Productions, which were conducted by Department of Education, North Zone Culture Centre and The Ford Foundation. Later, he conducted production-oriented workshops independently for J&K Cultural Academy, NZCC and Directorate of Education.
“My father always inspired me to achieve something exceptional and showed me the path to success. If today I have achieved something, it’s just because of my father who put selfless efforts on me. Had he been here today with me, he would have been the happiest person on the globe.
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