Ye Duniya Mere Duniya Naheehe…! -pts

What happened to my students!

My duty, as usual, was on the main stage of Kalolsavam 2012. It took time and strain to start with the HSS Drama on the stage. I patiently waited to watch and enjoy the plays to be presented by my students with great curiosity.

First of the only two plays, “Jalakam”, was quite amazing just because the efforts the students took within the short, inconvenient time, in the most adverse circumstances in our school. I can only appreciate their earnest attempt.

But script-wise, I didn’t like their selection. The play is not suitable in the school stage and is full of abusive expressions in action and words. Such cheap expressions with sexual undertones and such display of violence are okay on cinema/TV screen but ugly on the Kalolsavam stage.

And, in the end of the play, what the viewer got? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The theme is highly subtle and vague. It has no much social relevance. It’s neither contemporary nor political, and nothing didactic in it. No moral; no message at all. I may be wrong, sometimes; I don’t know what will be my reaction after I read the original script. But these are my first impressions after watching the play presented by those students.

The immature over-actions of the main characters, their ridiculous gestures and mannerism, and the faulty direction are pardonable indeed as they are all young students. But the fatal mistake is the wrong casting, (a girl courageously but unwantedly took the role of a main male character!), spoiled the crux of the entire play, that made the plots ridiculously confusing. The audience reacted negatively, shouted and giggled at the abusive romantic movements and the unparliamentarily verbal retorts and unnecessary violent movements between a girl and a boy.

Everything is okay because, after all, mistakes are all from students who are not properly guided, their rehearsals are not supervised and the script was not scrutinized. It was our mistake; at least I can admit it. Due to an untimely improvement exam we were on exam duty at different centers.

While the play was on, I just could not digest certain harsh words, abusive expressions, dialogue with vulgar undertones, and the violent physical actions of a male against a female. It should have been avoided. Personally, I cannot stand and justify atrocities and violence on woman, both verbal and physical, especially when they are my students or close ones, even if it is in the name of art or drama. I just cannot compromise with all those sequence.

In fact, there were moments when I was provoked to order pulling the curtain down. Instead, I shared my immediate response with one of my colleagues on the stage. The private talk might have been leaked some how. After the result was declared, the desperate director-student who found the script great, reacted violently at me, giving vent to his emotions in the most irreverent manner, but, at the wrong person!

He conveniently pardoned those three judges of drama and gave them the sole right to criticize their performance in public or private! And me have no right, moral ground, as he says, even to pass a rash comment on the said presentation. He caught me (I‘m their leaping boy!) responsible for not getting the first place for his play.

I gave a clarification that I did not make my remarks (on the abusive expressions in the play) in public or in the manner that influence the teachers who were sitting away down the Judgment point. It was quite a private, silent communication with another teacher on stage-duty and I have the right and freedom to do so. I can express my reaction as a spectator and as their teacher.

I still hold the view that the play should have been censored. Certain actions and verbal exchanges could have been avoided. Above all, with respect to the school tradition, much of the physical contacts between girls and boys during the rehearsals and staging, even if it is in the name of art, should NOT have been allowed. I’m categorical about that.

Foot-line:

·      In the staff-room we often exchange the drastic change that has been observed among the post DPEP students that there is negativity in their attitude and approach towards teachers and to the all system of education.

·        A loss of faith; lack of respect and reverence seen everywhere.

·       There is confidence and overconfidence but no trust at all.

·     The youtube generation is helpless to distinguish between fake and fair; excellence and substandard; merit and defect.

·     It has been as if we are told to applaud and appreciate all nonsense and adore every ridiculous things at class rooms, on stages and on the screen!

·       They lack humility and they think impudence and audacity is smartness!

Ye Duniya  Mere Duniya Naheehe…!

No respect. No reverence.

I’m losing the ground.

“Things are falling apart and  

The centre cannot hold…

The falcon cannot listen to the falconer”.

-Ptsalam 30.09.2012