Unconventional themes and Anupam Kher win at DU’s street play competition

Deviating from the usual themes at nukkad-naatak competitions, students at the recently-organized Udaan Utsav 2016 chose subjects which are usually left untouched. The three-day competition saw more than 25 street play societies from different Delhi University colleges participate at the Faculty of Arts. The prize distribution ceremony at Hans Raj College had Anupam Kher as the chief guest, while Manoj Tiwari, Vivek Agnihotri, Prachi Joshi, Malini Awasthi and Manoj Joshi also came to support the students.
Offbeat themes
Param Veer – a tribute to the Indian Army, Paanch September – a play on teachers, and Nepathya by the students of SGND Khalsa on karamcharis, were applauded by the audience as well as jury members. "We wanted to thank our soldiers for their services through the play. They stay away from their families, in conditions that aren’t quite pleasant," said Tushar Sharma, president of the dramatics society of Hans Raj, who were the first runners-up of the competition.
Anupam Kher had some fun at the teachers' expense (BCCL)
The jury, comprising Advaita Kala, Sudipto Sen and Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, picked Vivekananda College’s Juloos as the second runner-up for the best team production. "Aaj ke zamaane mein insaniyat kahin kho gayi hai, aur hum vahi dikhana chahte thay," said Shivani Sharma, president of the Vivekananda College street play society. Shivaji College performed a play, Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Dinn, on the dying arts of India, and emerged as the winner.
Main padhai mein kabhi 38% se zyaada marks nahin laaya: Kher
Anupam Kher was his candid best and spoke about his acting and struggling days. "People say some people are born actors, I don’t agree. Insaan majboori mein bhi actor banta hai. Actor banna dheeth banne ka sabse bada example hai. Main padhai mein kabhi 38% se zyaada marks nahin laaya. Maine apne gharwaalon ko yeh bolne ka mauka nahin diya ki humara pappu aapke bachche se zyaada marks laya hai. I did my first play when I was in class five on Prithviraj Chauhan. I was picked to play Prithviraj because I was the fairest person in my class!" he said.
Members of the street play society of Shivaji College Jury member Manoj Tewari poses with the students of Shyam Lal College (BCCL)
(L-R) Ravi Kishan, Rama Sharma and Vivek Agnihotri (BCCL)
Kher mimics Hans Raj principal
While addressing the audience, Kher had some fun at the teachers’ expense and even mimicked the principal of Hans Raj College. He said, "I don’t think there’s anyone more comical than teachers. Ma’am, the way you were asking me for my number and asking me to come to Hans Raj, I really liked it! Aur main aapki nakal bhi kar sakta hoon. ‘Anupamji, Anupamji, hum toh bahut time se aapko college bulaana chahte thay’"" (while mimicking the principal), to peals of laughter.
Aayushi Gupta from the steet play society of Shyam Lal College (BCCL)
A play on eve-teasing
Students of Shyam Lal College put up a nukkad-naatak, Ulte Ullu Ke Raj, which focused on women’s issues. "Five days before the competition, we included an eve-teasing incident in our play. Yeh stalking ka case toh abhi news mein aaya hai, but yeh sab bahut time se chal raha hai. Kisi ki help karne se log darte hain, aur wahi humne apne play mein dikhaya,” said Karan Rathore, president of the society. Aayushi Gupta, who played the girl being eve-teased in the play, said, “There are some incidents that can happen with anyone, so I was able to relate to it."