OT Radio

Ep 2: Salmin Sheriff : Bangalore Theatre Director Series

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:08:10 +0000

Salmin Sheriff is an actor, playwright, director and artist who has been closely associated with Bangalore's theatre landscape since the 1990s. He was part of an exciting generation of theatre-makers who helped shape contemporary English theatre in the city, working alongside some of its important voices

AMSTERDAM TRAVEL DIARES - Day 2

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 02:03:14 +0000

Day 2 : Amsterdam :

*Monkey Cap, Changing Cape, Spinning Head, Stunning Music* :

Another night without dreams crept in as I hit the bed on Day 1.

I was awakened in the morning with ducks n birds singing, there’s a lake right outside my window. The entire place was quite and I cud hear people snoring so loudly that I decided to be a 5:30am man.

I walked straight into the restroom like a superman and then realised there’s no focet, now with a facepalm, my head screamed out so loud that the ducks kept quite. “ Duck me, No focet “

I screamed in my head “ Europe “ they use only tissue paper in the loo. Nothing else.

The things we take for granted in In india. Sigh.

Anyways, back with my swagger, I Got myself ready.

To go where you ask

“ To buy a monkey cap”. Yes a monkey cap.

From the time I landed my head was costly hit by cold winds, that I promised myself before going to bed on the first night, “ _cap first thing in the morning_ “ was the song in my head.

Last evening when I enquiried in the reception, about a cap. Pat came the reply from a smiling man “ Go to Amsterdam Central “

Back in India, I live in Thippasandra where we get the whole world next to our house.

Imagine to buy a monkey cap I had to take a metro 9 stops away from where I stay in Deimen Ruid. Cos they don’t mix residential areas with commercial areas.

I took a metro and when I got off Central in my cool swagger I was confronted with a 15 storey elevator. I was stunned, but I just went with the flow, as the steps began there was a strange tingling under my feet. I was not even midway, I think it was just 25% and my fear of heights took over me. I began sweating and legs were actually shaking. I was certain I am going to fall down rolling back on the escalator as it began its mount. Midway through my right hand was on the escalator and I realised on my left hand was my phone. I slowly kept my phone back and held the railing tightly with both my hands . By now I was 10 storey up and by now a strange feeling took over me, my body was shaking and I was about to fall back rolling down the stairs 10 storey. By now I am nauseous and my body is filled in sweat.

At that moment I looked up at a single point up above and kept looking at it and I told myself, nothing is moving. As a loyal atheist I didn’t even have a god to save me or a prayer to tell. Only a cap between my legs. As the escalator moved faster, i finally reached the other side.

O M G, that was such a life and death experience for me, just for a money cap.

Super Man became Langot Man in 1 minute.

Maybe I shud direct a play on this theme the next time. “ _I shall explore this theme as a devised play with my team next time_ “, I promised myself.

Landing at Amsterdam central in search of a cap, I realise that all the commercial places open by 11am

I decided to treat myself with a breakfast, I carefully chose a cozy space. I ordered for salmon sandwich and I get that with rose petals it took me by surprise.

I wondered if I cud eat the rose petals or was it some sort of decoration. I called my saviour in India, who told me “ don’t touch it, remember you are travelling alone, what if something happens “

So I kept aside the petals are just one petal, it tasted sweet.

The blue-eyed blond waitress was kind and smiling, looked like a youngster. After delivering the food she came by my table to check if I was fine, if the food was good. In my head I said “ you are an angel, compared to encounter one“

Smiling people all around the cafe and warm waiters, I found myself relaxed in an empty city that was just waking up.

I quickly bought a cap and I was back with a swagger on the streets and I realised I had to take the metro to watch the paintings of Dutch Masters in the Rijsk Museum. I was getting late.

So I ran back to the metro station, only to be confronted with the monstrous 15 storey escalator, I had to go down all the way now. I gulped my spit drank two big sips of water from my bottle decided to do the “ escalator “ with my cape as a lungi.

There’s more power in a lungi I told myself as s proud mallu.

As I went down I strangely realised it was easy, midway through my lungi moved slowly onto my shoulder and it became the superman cape. With an evil smile on my face. I reached down with incredible energy and gave a high five to a security gaurd who wondered what I was upto.

Rushing straight into Museum. Time stood still.

I stood absolutely still in front of a Monet as people walked past me. I was stunned and shocked with a painter whom i considered my guru. I put my cape down on the floor next to the paint and knelt down to my god.

On my way back I had tears in my eyes standing and listening to a musician playing incredible music on street with people throwing money into his box. “ Wish I cud help you make more money / fix more shows for you “

In Europe when musicians was down ( physically mentally emotionally or economically ) they go out into the streets and play.

Now humbled with the experience and music of the musicians in my head I slowly head back to my place.

Another night awaits me in a country where the sun sets for 2-3 hours, darkness is a luxury that people don’t have here.

They do everything here to get sleep and crate darkness. Darkness evades most European countries them forever, it’s like they are cursed in their own sunlight.

AMSTERDAM TRAVEL DIARIES- day 3

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 02:02:51 +0000

Day 3 - Amsterdam

*Sex, Van Gogh, Ganjaa, Sex, Paris, Dreamless Nation *

Day 2 night I hit the bed and moved into my sleep.

I woke up with a screaming of a woman in her room, right next to my bed, a wall separates us. I jumped out of my sleep, one eye closed and one eye red. Dazed I am wondering if I am in the middle of a robbery, or domestic violence. I look into my watch is 3:30am local time.

I wait and the sounds grow intense, the woman is now moaning. Shocked I realise the opposite door couple was making love. 🤦‍♀️

Luckily I woke up only at the end of their act because after a few minutes I could hear faint sounds of a bathroom door opening n water splashing.

Scratching my head I screamed in my head “ why 3:30 am , you had the whole night “

I am a passionate man too but I have manners, all my gymnastics finish by a exactly 11pm. No animals are harmed or woken up in the process….… I have social etiquette.

And so there I was with my eyes wide open and staring at the ever bright sky beyond the curtains, wondering if I will ever see a star one day.

What a start to my day.

I lie on the bed, my head running on the fact that it’s 7am in the morning in India. I message my saviour who promptly asks me to _go back to bed_.

And so I switch off my mobile phone and try to get some sleep.

Twisting and turning in my bed, remembering a gore movie I watched on MUBI before I went to sleep. MUBI automatically switched over my country region on the app and now I had access to films what were playing in Europe. I checked for my favourite directors Kurosawa and Tarkovsky. I was excited that all the films of Tarkovsky was now available to me.

Twisting and turning and finally making it through. I said enough is enough.

And so I jump out to plan my day. Another 5:00 am wake up. Rise and shine routine. I rush to the metro, while planning on my mobile how to reach Rijsk.

I catch the metro then the tram and then finally at the Van Gogh Museum. ( since I travel by the metro in Bangalore switching two lines, its a cake walk for me managing a six line metro here in Amsterdam , ( _2012 I was cluess in Europe as I travelled extensively in 50 days covering 7 countries; performing and conducting theatre workshops for groups, imagine the plight of someone who never saw a metro and managing metros in Europe_ )

Luckily I found place for breakfast at 7am near the Van Gogh Museum.

Amsterdam wakes up at 11am. All places are open only after 11am.

I spent 6 hours in the Van Gogh Museum

This is my second visit, last time I visited I didn’t start painting.

This time I took my own sweet time with all the works, with eyes of a painter

I remember yesterday evening meeting a person at the reception at where I stay and he said he’s an actor too. But does only adults show. And I was zapped. What could be an adults show. I asked him the details of his show.

After the Visit to the Van Gogh Museum, I landed up at my friends show and stunned I just could not move into the hall. It was a live sex show.

I turned and walked away, “ _not after watching Van Gogh’s work_ “ , I told my self. I have heard about such performances last time when I was in the city.

I jumped back into the metro traveling back to my place. By now Marc, who contacted me before I left Bangalore, was trying to organise my workshop for his theatre group in Paris.

So I am keeping my fingers crossed, after my Saturday and Sunday performance at the Amsterdam I may be traveling to Paris on Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed. I am hearing a lot about the revolution in Paris and that’s making me uneasy to travel to a land where government and citizens are in the middle of a minor civil war.

Walking across the streets I noticed cannabis ( ganja) everywhere. The last time I had a huge debate on the topic with my host Dorien, who is a professor in the InHolland University.

“ give kids and youth the option to try out whatever they wish and then they decide whether they like it or not “ was her and the Dutch society’s view

When I met her in Bangalore, She was in India to do a research on Indian slum kids. The problem in Netherlands is that kids are not dreaming about becoming anything. In a land where there’s everything, kids don’t want to become anything.

So the country is worried about their future and so they sent a research team to India, to find out what is the fire, internal and external motivation to dream big.

I would be meeting Dorien to see the results of her research. And so I wait into the bright sunlight evening leading to the bright night; wondering about a dreamless nation and it’s future.

Ep 1: Siddhanth Sundar : Bangalore Theatre Directors Series

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:59:37 +0000

In the first episode of L&D Radio, Ranji David speaks with theatre director and singer Siddhanth Sundar about creativity, theatre, music and leadership.

Duration: 52 minutes

Host: Ranji David

Guest: Siddhanth Sundar

AMSTERDAM TRAVEL DIARIES - Day 1

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:53:00 +0000

*Travel Diary*:

Day 1 : Stuttgart

Having experienced all kinds micro-racism in my last set of travels to Europe in 2012, 2013 and 2015. I decided to dress up in a suit and travel and see as a social experiment if I did face any.

I land in Stuttgart for a connecting flight to Amsterdam, my wait time was 3 hours. I decided to buy food for breakfast it was already 10am. My flight was at 12 noon.

I walked into a standing store where it run by a japanese, the man at the counter was very kind and curteous. I bought a salmon sandwich and munched away to glory on a table and a chair. I must see what is around I told myself and saw a few shops.

*Encounter 1 *

I was thirsty, and walked into a standing store, I was the only customer. I asked the girl for a bottle of water, and then I looked, there were atleast 4 different bottles of water. I asked her what is the difference. Pat came the reply “ I don’t know “ her face away from me and looking in the opposite side. I sensed her immediately (racist screamed inner voice). The She asked something and I did not respond nor looked at her. She was surprised. She looked at me and said if you pay €4.50 then you can return the plastic bottle. But if you pay 4.75, then can take the bottle. I paid 4.75 and my head raced. How do I get back. I decided to finish the bottle, which I did in 20 min. I went back to her and gave her the bottle. She looked at me stunned, didn’t know what to say. Didn’t expect it I guess. I will pay back she said. “ Keep it “ i said and walked away and my mind said “ 25 cents for your attitude “

I was expecting this and much more in my travel, but this is even before I landed

Encounter 2:

I took a train from the airport to where I was staying. Opposite me was a traveller. He was from Australia. We had a great conversation. He was solo travelling across Europe for 65 days. We spoke about covid, government scams, our travels, our profession, our GFs. He never visited india, but he wants to. After understanding from me the difference between Bangalore and Varanasi, he wanted to visit only Varanasi. I wasnt surprised as this was a common choice amount my European friends.

I was so happy after the interaction, only after he got down in his station and waved good luck and goodbye i realised, this was so beautiful as an experience. So different from encounter 1.

I landed at the place where I stay and I made friends with my roomie, Rico, who is half italian and half Moroccan. He was raised in London and so has a thick UK accent. Like all people in my travel so far. He was shocked that I was an actor travelling for my theatre performance. “ how cool is that” he said. “ when your passion is your profession”. “ which is such a dream “. When I enquired about his profession “marketing” he said “ and it’s 100% work from home so I travel across Europe and work although my pay is bad “

I told Rico, it’s been a long journey for me. So I wanted to take a hot shower and go out for dinner with him. It was 4pm, I said I will be back by 6, him working in the common work/play area. He smiled and waved as he got back to his laptop.

I took a hot shower and it was 4:30. Let me just get some 20 minutes of well needed shut eye. And I hit my bed. A sleep without dreams.

When eyes opened, it was 10:30pm

“ Rico “ my mind screamed with my eyes still red with sleep. I missed lunch and dinner.

The Amsterdam night awaited me.. for more interesting things to emerge on my day 1, which was still not done yet.

Theatre of Street

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 04:26:00 +0000

Theatre of Street - Jan Natya Manch
Independent
By Priti Negi

Girish Karnad - A Biography - 2

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 04:24:00 +0000

Track 1 & 2: Girish Karnad - A Biography
Made by Film maker Chaitanya KM, this audio documentary takes the audiences through the life of India's greatest Theatre Legend

Girish Karnad - A Biography - 1

ranjidavid@gmail.com (Ranji David) — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 04:23:00 +0000

Track 1 & 2: Girish Karnad - A Biography
Made by Film maker Chaitanya KM, this audio documentary takes the audiences through the life of India's greatest Theatre Legend