26/04/2026

theSunday Special VII ON SUNDAY APR 26, 2026

enough resources to sustain its week-long run, the broader financial gap in the industry remains an adversity. It highlights a recurring theme in the Malaysian theatre scene, the constant struggle to justify stories that do not end with a “happy ending”. “Are stories with ‘happy endings’ the only ones worth telling?” said Sidhart. While the Malaysian theatre scene is doing good work, the motivation to pursue the art is still low due to the lack of financial gratification. “You end up losing so much.” Unfiltered mirror Despite the low enthusiasm for the industry by the masses, JDev Studios managed to put on a successful show, such as Tewas , that is definitely not its last. As for Sidhart, he is still on his quest to narrate the truth. “People want to hear the truth behind closed doors.” According to him, making an impact is as simple as lighting a matchstick in the dark, it does not have to be grand. So, he vows to keep telling little stories that others would deem insignificant, and Tewas has pushed that aspiration a little further. “As artistes, we all have to be socially responsible in the kind of stories we are telling,” he said, while expressing hope that Tewas , and the likes of it, keep the conversation going. He said bullying is widespread due to the failure to listen, thus prompting the company to create Tewas to “make people listen”. “I hope people have the patience to listen to someone else’s narrative and understand it... then help before it is too late.” For Sidhart, the stage is more than a platform for entertainment. It is a mirror the audience.” “ As much as we believe in building the theatre industry, we also have to build

Tewas faced troubles artistically and financially in pre-production.

For Sidhart and his crew, Tewas was born from a genuine place of wanting to tell difficult domestic stories, drawing inspiration from personal ones and bullying cases that happened in the last couple of years. “Even its title came from a profound feeling you get when all odds are against you, when bullying corners you and “you tewas ”, he said. “So, when you watch Tewas , you realise these are cases you might not know exactly, but you have heard of them,” he said, adding that the play is inspired by real stories. “Playing emotionally taxing characters can take a toll on your mental health.” Sidhart also shared that the intention in putting up the show was not to draw from self-pity. “We thought if we wanted to tell this story properly, we should do it for the truth that we are trying to tell,” he said, while revealing there were months’ worth of preparation prior to staging the play. He added that since the characters had been played repeatedly during rehearsals, the cast was desensitised by the time of the performance. Uphill battle Putting up a play as heavy as Tewas came with its tribulations, artistically and financially. “We realised the story was bigger than all of us, the production team, the cast and crew. “So, the challenges were how were we going to tell the story in a way that is artistic enough with light and music. At the same time, you don’t want to overwhelm or overdo it.” Finding the balance between showmanship and raw storytelling was the primary creative hurdle, said Sidhart. While navigating these artistic rigours, the team also faced stark constraints of the struggling industry. “We had to bring an entire team from Penang to the Klang Valley to fund this production.” Fortunately, USM’s School of the Arts stepped in to ease the logistical bottlenecks, providing manpower, technical equipment and a stage. While this support gave the production

He urges for arts (theatre) education for our children, as Sidhart believes it can contribute to building a stronger artistic community. Looking ahead But Sidhart is not just waiting for the syllabus to change, he and his crew are actively creating the culture he dreams of. On the future of JDev Studios, he is already looking towards multiple projects and cross-border collaborations. The goal is simple. “We want to tell stories about ourselves and about who we are. We want to tell these stories in multiple languages.” Leading the creative revolution, JDev Studios and Sidhart are devoted to continue bringing stories found in our kitchen to an audience, ensuring the present and next generation have a voice and the representation they deserve.

that reflects the uncomfortable corners of society that is often ignored. By turning the spotlight on the mechanics of bullying, Tewas rewrites personal narrative into social advocacy. However, for such stories to ignite lasting change, it requires a sustainable ecosystem. Building an audience Sidhart said meaningful support starts at the institutional level. “If half of the attention that is given to films and music (was given to theatre), the artistes will know how to make this industry survive with whatever little that we have.” To tackle this issue, he calls for reform to make arts and theatre part of the education syllabus. “Each student gets only two hours of arts education in 365 days. As much as we believe in building the theatre industry, we also have to build the audience.”

Tewas rewrites personal narrative into social advocacy.