Making a huge difference

Today’s society has been witnessing many crimes, with the sab chalta hain attitude. Recollecting the Mumbai terror attacks, the first-year MBA students of the Symbiosis Institute of Management, Bangalore (SIMB), recently staged a Hindi street play outside the Forum Mall, focussing on how individuals can make a difference just by doing their basic duty.

“It’s time one raised questions as to why things are the way they are. It’s always easy to point fingers at people but we feel that change will occur only when we look within ourselves,” said Varun Gupta from SIMB.

The mall, they said, was the perfect venue for the play because the main purpose was to reach out to the youth. What was even more interesting was that the nine-member team did not have any theatre background. “None of us come from a theatre background but we really wanted to do something. We discussed the issues we felt strongly about and put in whatever little we knew into the play over three days,” added Varun.

Comprising a pinch of humour and scoops of sarcasm, this 15-minute play showcased simple to complex incidents which one witnesses in a city. Situations like eve-teasing in the bus, interrogation by the police for a murder trial, a simple accident turning into a communal fight, and fear among people due to a bomb blast were showcased. The part portraying three monkeys seemed quite impactful. Here, a character goes on to explain that in today’s world, people rarely come out to speak although they see and hear evil all the time.

With no props, big movements and much energy, the play seemed to have been taken well by the viewers. The team is now planning on taking it to other parts of the City. Plans are also on for another play based on AIDS awareness.