The Mumbai attacks of 26/11 awakened an entire nation to become more responsive to terrorism and taught us that, freedom, never comes easy. The students of SIBM Bengaluru, every year, commemorate the sacrifice of the bravehearts who laid down their lives on that dreary night, lest we forget. This year too, Jzaa - the Dramatics Club of SIBM Bengaluru, in association with the Social Responsibility Committee performed ‘Nukkad Natak’ on the 26th of November at the Orion Mall in Bengaluru, as a tribute to those valiant individuals who stood firm against the terror and flagged the spirit of patriotism and humanity in the troubled times of the Mumbai attacks. The theme for this year’s Street Play was Aakrosh, which encapsulated the agitation of the people against the social injustices and orthodox beliefs that prevail in the country.
The play unfolded in front of an audience of approximately 700 people. Raw and hard-hitting, the outstanding street play created awareness to value the sacrifice of those who gave up their tomorrow for our today and urged everyone to rise above the evils of the society. The crisp script, catchy phrases, songs and intelligent emphasis on speech left the audience spellbound. Focusing on the atrocities that plague our society, Aakrosh, appealed to the conscience of one and all to step up and take affirmative action in combating the injustices and not be a mere spectator.
The performers portrayed how change in society does not merely mean reacting-accusing- rioting-forgetting, playing the age-old blame game on the government for mishandling the affairs. It is to find an alternative that will help mitigate the situation. The chants of “Aatank ho prahaar tu, Aakrosh ki pukaar tu” served as a wakeup call that drove the impetus for change. The students took this opportunity to spread the message of unity and peace and stressed the importance of raising one’s voice for a right cause. Gagan, a theatre enthusiast, who witnessed the performance said, “I have never seen something like this unfold on such a grand scale. The theme touched my heart and the hard work that the students had put in was very evident.”
Chakshu Raj, one of the coordinators of Jzaa, said “The intent behind this play is to convey the message that we as a nation are channelizing our energy in the wrong direction. And, that it’s time to redirect it for the betterment of our nation.”
Nothing is more impactful than a clever mixture of entertainment and an attempt to bring about change and the students of SIBM Bengaluru made that happen.