IT’S ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Welcome once again to the Annual Drama Festival- ‘PREM UTSAV’
This is the fifth year that we are celebrating our drama festival on the birth anniversary of the legendary Hindi-Urdu writer Munshi Premchand. The series “AADAB MAIN PREMCHAND HOON..” was started in 2005, when we realized that the memories of the great literati was gradually fading, especially amongst the youth. In this span of five years we have staged 238 out of 283 stories in 257 weeks.
This year too we are traveling all over India but Ranchi needs special mention as we have been especially invited to perform Munshi Premchand’s stories, there, to commemorate the University’s Golden Jubilee Year. It is always a pleasure to be associated with educational institutions as we too had begun our mission by staging plays based on Munshiji’s stories at various schools and colleges to revive the memories of the great writer.
At ‘PREM UTSAV-2010’ we shall be staging 50 plays from 1st August to 10th August 2010. Each play is of 20 to 60 minute duration. These plays may take you down memory lane forcing you to remember at least one story read by you as a student and making you younger at heart. It is difficult to read 50 stories in 10 days but here is an opportunity to watch 50 stories in 10 days.
SO HAPPY VIEWING. HAVE A NICE EVENING
Prem Utsav 09
India has produced many legends and one standing tall amongst them is Munshi Premchand. He was born as Dhanpat Rai, in a remote village Lamhi of erstwhile Kashi. He has optimized the culture and heritage of our nation by his writing to a degree, which is unparallel in his short life span of 56 years. His contribution to Hindi literature in the form of 21 novels, 18 plays, 280 short stories, innumerable letters and articles which is immense. Though all the above-mentioned work was written in early part of 20th. Century, but are contemporary. Shree Prem Chand needs no introduction. He has in many ways been an architect of early Indian writing. With his pen, he touched the lives of many people and has opened the tightly bolted doors that stood in the way of many emerging writers. His topics were diverse and ethnic. He wrote on every burning issue – be it gender bias or the exploitation and injustice towards women prevailing in society during those days, he also wrote in volumes on the apathy of the schedule and backward class, injustice meted to them and about the caste system which has been the bane of our society. Even though his stories come out from the pages of history, but most of the topics that he wrote about are still pertinent. Unfortunately not much has changed even after 60 years of independence. After reading his stories one realizes that the conditions people faced for centuries are quite relevant even today. Dowry burning, gender bias, victimization of women, exploitation and degradation of the downtrodden, these are not only rampant in our villages but also in our so-called urban sectors. We are often asked by the media why Premchand’s work has been chosen by ‘IDEA’. Our earnest answer is, we believe that Premchand’s work can bring back the lost balance in today’s society, which is marred by violence and suffering, also torturing and tormenting of the weaker section of our society. The author has a formidable body of work, which deals with a variety of issues relating to unity, fraternity and non-violence. We are performing these plays in various places to spread such messages. It is said, “Nothing is impossible in this world”. We can proudly say that ‘IDEA’ has proved this proverb. In 198 weeks 202 plays (one new play every week) has been staged by IDEA. When asked how it is possible to stage new plays in such a short span, our belief is, that if there is dedication, selflessness, no expectation of financial gains, performing plays regularly, is the answer to that question. Mr. Mujeeb Khan (founder and president of the academy) is a writer-director, a selfless person who has squarely shouldered the responsibility to adapt, direct and stage one new play every week, a deed performed meticulously and sincerely by him. Religiously from every Sunday to Wednesday Mr. Khan begins reading of a new play with the artists from his academy. From Thursday onwards he begins the rehearsal, by Saturday the play is ready for its premier performance. It is a challenge not only for Mr. Khan but also for the team of honest actors who in a short time memorize the dialogues and enact it for the open audience. IDEA is the only stage where the actors can polish their talents with their performances every week. It has proved beneficial for those who wish to pursue their career in theatre, television and films. Shree PREMCHAND is the need of the hour. In this man-eats-man world, where people are pitted against each other, people are starting to loose faith in humanity and brotherhood, man killing man for paltry amount, dowry system still prevailing in the society, harijan’s are not treated as equals, murders and rapes are rampant, when the total system and the balance of our society have failed, Prem Chand’s stories speak of a civilized, cultured, social and balanced society. ‘IDEA’ always propagates that Prem Chand is not a writer, not an individual but a complete society which today’s world needs desperately. ‘IDEA’ has been regularly celebrating in Mumbai, on 31st of July, its festival PREM UTSAV to commemorate the birth anniversary of Shree Premchand. The festival lasts for two or more days wherein we try to perform at least 15 plays in a day.