Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 3: Performers of Empire Circus are a disheartened lot as none of their acrobatics and stunts are able to get the cash registers ticking.
Empire Circus has seen better days in the course of its 40-year history. Performers say they no longer witness houseful crowds erupting in applause at the end of each feat. “It’s more like a scattered round of claps from a handful of people, who are mostly old-timers from a generation long past, who are here to relive their past. The motivation to perform is no longer there, and neither is the money,” says Joshna Barman, a 22-year-old woman who joined the company as an 11-year-old child.
The circus showcases feats like flying trapeze, motorcycle stunts, acrobatics by north-east and African artistes, balancing acts, and an elephant show.
“I was a huge fan of circus shows and wanted to become a performer. My parents gave in after I convinced them to let me, and now I do acrobatic feats such as balancing a whole lot of things on my body among other things,” Joshna says.
Married to a colleague, Joshna says meeting ends has become very difficult for them due to audiences drying up. “Our future depends primarily on the popularity of circus shows. The more popular the show is, the more I have a chance to earn,” says Joshna, adding she foresees a bleak future for her family.
Trapeze performer Ajay Mahato from Nepal, who joined the circus seven years back, says the main reason for the decline in the popularity of circuses is due to the ban on use of animals.
“As there are no lions and tigers, people don’t come to watch our shows anymore. This is affecting our livelihoods, as most of us don’t even have an option to quit and pursue some other career,” says Mahato, who had returned to this field after once quitting it out of frustration.
