Reviving the Drama!

        The mundane mortal existence that we lead often propels in us to break the chains of bondage and live in a state of willing disbelief. As such drama as an art form serves to channelize those repressed emotions and helps us give a reality check of the conditions that we are living in.
        
        Day 1 of our Pickwick fest, was quite an electrifying one. The Dickens-Manto theatre was one such event that had an overwhelming reponse in terms of participation as well as attendance. The stage was set and the performers were raring to go. One of the motives of this fest was to revive the lost interest in Manto and we could see that being achieved at the Dramatics. Adaptations from Manto's short stories were the popular choice of the participating teams. I must give a special mention to the audience who were patient and sensitive to the performances as it was also appreciated by one of our judges.
Our comperes Ambereen and Hina were flawless and kept the audience engaged for good 4-5 hours. The plays that were performed were completely enthralling and gripping. From dance and music to impactful symbolism we had it all.

A scene from one of the acts

        Our judges were Dr Ameena Kazi Ansari and Dr Baran Farooqui. The two drama experts from our very own department who shared their expertise with the students, who were kind enough to explain the nuances of theatre to them in the end. The event representative, Lubna and Nayema were seen constantly on their toes trying to ensure that things went smoothly. Troupes from Khalsa College, Delhi University bagged both the first and the second position. Winning the cash prize of Rs 5,000 and 3,000 respectively, and the team of B.A. (Hons) Eng I, stole the third position and the hearts of the judges and the audience. The event was a huge success, it made us laugh and wonder and introspect. In short completely captivated us.

-Ayesha Begum
BA (Hons) Eng II