Change of heart…

Thursday, December 11, 2008

SIL

The role of moms have become challenging in this age of TV, hip-hop and rock, and Padma Sharma, the protagonist in Mystic Mix was no exception. But despite trying to cope with the high-handed attitude of her teenage children, she is discredited for her efforts.However, a dramatic turn of events results in the change of situations. The ‘taken for granted’ mother is helped by her neighbour Tara, a fortune-teller, in setting things rights. The two exchange souls and the new ‘Ms Sharma’ not only refuses to be treated as a doormat, but also succeeds in sensitising her family. After teaching the family a lesson, the souls are exchanged. But at the end of the play, it was just not the Sharma kids, who had learnt a lesson, but also the audience, actors and their entire team. For staging the dance-drama were none other than the PU students. Says Shilika, who did complete justice to the role of Padma, “After having played the part, I understand my mother better and all I can think of is how to face my mother after going home!” Saad Pasha and his co-director Deepa say that they respect their parents even more after having been associated with the play. “We have learnt to behave better,” they add. But most importantly we made a lot of friends. And going by the response we received today, us, bunking tuitions was totally worth it,” they laugh. But were the directors more friends or hard task masters, we ask Shilika. “Well, I also assisted them in direction, so got to hear less from them,” she says. However, the director duo say that they hardly had to shout as the entire 65-member team was very co-operative. “But there were instances when we had to be firm, and trust us, we understand our teachers better now!” Saad giggles. From direction, costume, music, make-up, songs, lighting, props and choreography —– everything was taken care of by these students of CMR National PU College. A song, Mother… written by first  year student Apoorva, was very touching. The humour and the Gen X lingo added zing to the play. Says Rahul George, who along with Meenakshi, fine tuned the play, “We worked on their stage presence, intonations, expressions and helped them Indianise the play that is an adaptation of Mother’s Day. But these guys knew what they were doing and took the play very seriously.” There were two shows of the play. So what is next from the enthusiastic students? “Studies. But there is this scrabble competition we are looking forward to,” says Saad.