Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

For 21 years, Biju Pushkaran has been spreading laughter and giggles. One sight of him, people would split their sides.

The principal clown at Navi Mumbai-based Rambo Circus, Biju says he chose the joker act out of passion. Otherwise, why would a youngster hailing from a hamlet in Kerala's Attingal run away to Mumbai after being denied job by many circus companies for being ‘dark-skinned’ until he found the right place?

Biju was a little boy when he first saw circus during the annual festival at Sarkkara Devi Temple in his home village of Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

His dad, Dancer Pushkaran, was a famous cycle yajnam (cycle circus) artiste, and Biju was naturally drawn into acrobatics.

Unable to afford a ticket, Biju found his way to the circus tent by drawing water from the nearby well for the performers.

He found his destiny the moment he laid his eyes on the clown. “I found an instant connect to the clown act that could make at least 3,000 people happy at one go. It was amazing,” he recalls.

Circus companies preferred fair-skinned artistes. So Biju faced rejection from everywhere, but he knew he had the potential and served as an errand boy at several circus companies for years until he took off to Mumbai to fulfil his dream. There, he met Sujit Dilip, the third generation of Rambo Circus owner whose roots are in Karthikapalli in Alappuzha, who recognised the talent of the young man and took him in.

Two decades later, Biju, now 51, has travelled across the globe, performed at the famous Monte Carlo Circus Festival, hosted shows and trained kids in Mumbai. His joker act has been featured in international media and his life story has inspired an Ashish Vidyarthi-starrer short film ‘Painted’, which earned laurels and praises.

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

“I wanted to be a world-famous clown and here I am,” he smiles.

Even as he scaled new heights, no one in his family knew that Biju was a clown until he took his 21-year-old son for a show last year.

“I dare not tell them fearing the stigma of being the children of a komali (joker),” says Biju.

Last year, he invited his son, now 21, to the show after which he came to Biju, asking for a selfie, unaware that it was his dad. “I told him, Nee Eduthoda Makkale (as you wish, my son), and he was shell-shocked. I later asked him if he hated me and he said, Acha (father), I am proud of you!”

When he started off, circus clowns wore heavy make-up and performed hilarious falls, mimicking and botch-ups.

But Biju experimented with his looks, researched on foreign artistes, drew inspiration from clowns world over and devised his own strategy to make people laugh.

Sporting self-designed make-up, costumes, hair and hat, Biju has been entertaining crowds for years, which he confesses, by ‘cracking Malayalam jokes in Hindi’. “Like a true Malayali, I use the jokes of film comedians Innocent, Jagathy (Sreekumar) and Suraj (Venjarammood) and ‘Hindi-fy’ it,” he laughs. Every act of his was followed by selfies, autographs and hugs from kids until seven months ago.

It hasn’t been the same since COVID-19 began to spread and the lockdown was imposed.

Now, Biju and his colleagues are getting appreciation messages online. For Rambo Circus has launched online shows to entertain circus enthusiasts across the globe.

An experiment to stay afloat

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

Rambo Circus, which went on with the show in Mumbai on sanitised premises till March by practising safe distancing, digital payments, had to stop the shows after the government banned all public events. As days passed, the company ran out of money. Everybody got frustrated.

At this time, a private company Production Crew approached owner Sujit with the idea of organising virtual ticketed shows.

“The ticketed show was conceived to have personalised programmes and family packages, and the tickets would be sold via an online platform. The show - Life is a Circus – is aired three days a week, and it includes aerial rings, juggling, trapeze, gymnastics, tightrope walk, acrobatics, foot balancing, ladder balancing and numerous adventurous and hilarious acts,” says Sujit.

Biju adds, “When the company approached us with the idea of the virtual show, we sprung into action. Even the tent was erected by 30 of us, including women artistes. Earlier, the company used to hire 50 labourers to set it up.”

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

Online debut preparations

What followed is a 20-day rigorous rehearsal. With no practise, artistes had put on weight, it was hard for all to be back in form. There were injuries, fractures and a lot of pain, but finally, our determination paid off. The three-day shooting went well and the show was aired with live performance and interaction sessions by the clowns. “After the first three shows, we were told that it was a huge success. Kids were sending videos and photos that read ‘I love Rambo’, ‘We love clowns’. In three days, we did 11 shows. The response was overwhelming.”

Book tickets for 'Life is a circus' here

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

After the shows, a private screening was arranged for the artistes at the tent. Many of them broke down seeing the love and realising that the show would go on, successfully.

“Everyone was cheering. We cut a cake, prepared biryani, laughed and cried together. It was so emotional. All along my 40 years in circus companies, I haven’t experienced such a moment. All my life has been circus. This is my home, my family. I have never missed a show even when my mother died. This is my world,” says Biju.

Show goes on: Online circus gains popularity, helps artistes stave off COVID blues

The success of the show has prompted Rambo Circus to come up with more programmes and go for a makeover very soon.

Says Biju, “We have got support from a corporate firm which is planning an international upgrade of our shows. We will have selected artistes for each show and the set, style and even food would be given a contemporary twist. We are very hopeful. Days of glory would be back.”

(Vandana Mohandas is an independent journalist based in Kochi)

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