Branching Out

Branching out

For the last four years, i woke up somewhat early,did my routine chores, got into my car, switched on Chennai Radio and drove into peak hour traffic. After stepping out, i entered another zone, also full of traffic, only of the mental type. It was called Office. A Corporate Office. I settled in, wished people around a very good morning, set my laptop out on my desk and logged into the Daimler world.

Lotus notes had my entire day planned out for me. I always wondered why this e-mail system was called Lotus Notes. To keep in line with it’s identity, i attempted to keep my writing flowery. However, that dint help. You still had to do what you had to do and do what others failed to do.

I worked in the Marketing Department of the world’s most glorious Brand, Mercedes-Benz. That sounds really cool, doesn’t it ? I must now also let you know that i worked for the Trucking division though. Now, that reduced the glamour by about 99 %. Local market insights, customer buying behaviour, Total Cost of ownership – All these were some Marketing/Trucking Jargon that was thrown at me, which i subsequently threw at other people. Consultant meetings, process checks, timeline tracks, Team meetings, Weekly updates, Daily Morning meetings and quarterly Town Hall meets – I attended all of this and more. Infact, i had to convene some of them as well.

Daimler not just invented the world’s first truck, but also gave me the opportunity to drive my First Truck. It felt great – like a sense of power in your hands that you can go about thrashing everyone else. I was reminded of those Monster Truck Madness games that i used to play when i was much younger.

I must thank Daimler for it also gave me the time to do theatre and do so well. I guess it was the whole German efficiency attitude that trickled down into my working patterns.

Yes, we launched a new Brand in India, showcased some great capabilities and won many customers.As all this was happening, i was also figuring out life on a personal front. (Daimler gave me time for that too ! Infact, this time i made time ! )

I got married in 2011 and was also toying around with the quintessential question of what next ? That’s when it occurred to me that Theatre had given me so many chances and i had given theatre none. A sudden gush of “Oh my God ! It’s now or never !” occurred to me.

Karthik also kept telling me about how the world does not need more left Brained people. I thought hard (most of the thinking i did with my left brain though) and told myself  - GO FOR IT !

i could have gone out there and continued doing theatre the way i did it over the years. However, i wanted to go study theatre professionally. i did my research for over 2 months, spoke to people, Alumni of Art Colleges to try and figure out what course in Drama would really make sense to someone like me.

I figured out London was the place to go to. The American universities offered Post Grad programmes for three years and at three times the cost. I dint have that much time nor money  I applied, auditioned and made it to Central School of Speech and Drama.

My Course (MA in Advanced Theatre Practice) begins this October. I am going through the formalities of my Visa and all that. Hopefully it should all come through. I am getting to be student again after almost 6 years. I am excited about Branching out. I am eagerly awaiting all those Dramatic encounters that i will make – With Art, theatre, People and Places.

I am Branching out, but you stay hooked on to this page for more.

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