Keekli Reporter, 12th January, 2015, Shimla
Under the able-guidance and first time director Hemlata Rawat, students of the Samanvya Theatre Workshop, Kasumpti, Shimla gave amazing performances and won huge applause here today at Gaiety Theatre, Shimla. About 45 students in the age group of 6 to 15 years from the theatre group presented a theme-based play titled “Aaina — Apne Nij Ki Pehchaan”, in which the children conveyed a very important message of self introspection and over ambitious nature of the parents. In the age of growing technological advancements and peer pressure, parents today are too busy to realize what their children want. Rather than understanding the needs and aspirations of children, parents hardly pay heed to the day to day activity of their children. Secretary of the Samanvya group, Bhupender Sharma warmly greeted all the parents and guests who were present to encourage and cheer their kids. Notable dignitaries present were MR Sharda, Praveen Chandla, Arun Bharti, Dr Hukum Sharma, JK Gupta, all from the field of theatre and creativity lending their support and wishes to the group.
The play opened with children playing, wild and carefree, pure innocence was reflected until the protagonist, Navdisha, steps up and briefly narrates the theme of the play. Children are seen happily playing, a rare site these days, either they are busy with home work and tuitions or playing video games on phone and tabs or watching television. A contrast between the virtual world and real world is portrayed henceforth.
In the next scene, glimpses of lives of children are shown in conversation with their parents. A father wants his son to study rather than learn football; an argument between father and mother whether their daughter should learn dancing or take up guitar lessons; a father sending his son to boarding school so that he can earn better as he doesn’t have time to spend with his kid; parents giving valuable gifts to children rather than teaching them their actual value and so on. Through the eyes of children we see how they are being burdened by their parents’ wishes and over ambitions to succeed in life no matter what the consequences. The next scene shows how children fall prey to the very vices parents gave them, addicted to phone chats, smoking, robbing people, cheating as well as lying to get their way in life.
We as parents are also enlightened about our own ironic behaviour, on one hand we teach our kids not to litter the surroundings, and our very next step is to throw garbage around. We are too busy in our own world that we forget to care about our children. A very touching and meaningful subject touched by the kids and perfectly enacted as well. Though it brought smiles and laughter among the audience but the message was clear. Give children the freedom to do things their own way, even though parents and children think differently but a balance needs to be created where children are not pressured to perform based on competition, but are nurtured to bring out the best in them.
The long line up cast of young brigades was at its best — Upanshu as father and students; Chinmaya as mother; Aayush as Bittu; Shantanu as father and shopkeeper; Saransh as Rohan; Gaurika as Nitya and dancer; Divyanshi as daughter and dancer; Vaishnavi as Gungun; Madhav as friend; Aarav as friend and dancer; Priyal as aunti; and Shaurya as shopkeeper among others — learning the skills of performing and remembering their dialogues within a short period of 20 days was an amazing job. They excelled in all fields — acting, dancing, music — giving some great competition to professional actors as well.
Secretary Sharma further informed that this years’ workshop began on 21st December, 2014 and culminated with the performance of this play. He said, “The children were very excited about this workshop where emphasis was laid on their overall development and enhancing their abilities. Apart from acting, we also taught them Yoga, meditation, dance and music”.
After the beautiful and heart rendering performance all children received certificates from Mr Chandla, MR Sharda and the Group Presidents, Pawan Sharma. Sharda then congratulated the children for putting up a great show and praised the efforts of the organizers for training them so well. He further said that children should be allowed to think independently and they should get the freedom to choose their own path. The parents should guide their kids rather than burden them with unnecessary gifts and wishes alike.
The day ended with huge applause and cheers for children with the announcement by Secretary Sharma that on requests from parents another workshop would begin from 20th January 2015 !!!
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