Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan: Rambo Circus Struggles To Survive Amid COVID-19

Mumbai: Between tears and laughter. That has always been the story of the circus. However, this time, when the proprietor of Rambo Circus, Sujit Dilip put out an appeal for help, people knew it was no laughing matter. It was the turn of the people to give back to circus artistes who had always entertained them.

Rambo Circus was about to begin its summer season on March 13 when the chief minister announced a lockdown due to coronavirus. They were grounded in Airoli, Navi Mumbai and Dilip faced a Herculean task of taking care of 80 artistes and 20 animals. Dilip told PTI that he was initially “embarrassed” to ask for help but decided to reach out to the public.

“Indian circus is like a moving village. We are like vagabonds. Every 45 days, we change our location. But where can we go today? There are no trucks available, everything is shut. It’s wise to stay here and wait for permission. It’s the safest to stay inside,” he told PTI.

As soon as the word spread on WhatsApp, admirers and well wishers offered help, Dilip said.

A cancer trust contributed Rs 50,000, while a government servant donated her pension of Rs 30,000, Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal providing them with ration, Shiv Sena leader Vijay Chougule pitching in to help and even the Thane deputy collector reaching out, asking if they needed animal food.

The local municipality is providing the artistes with food packets and drinking water every day.

“The circus would have just died had people not helped, if the NGOs, government wouldn’t have come forward.” With no possibility of any shows for at least four months, the challenge now is to raise funds to pay the staff their salaries.

A fan from Bengaluru suggested Rambo Circus should set up a donation fund on crowdfunding platform Ketto, co-founded by actor Kunal Kapoor.

“We then drew a budget of Rs 8.5 lakh for the salary and food of our staff for two months.” Once the target is achieved, we will get the money and then distribute it among them, Dilip told PTI.