Of all the things one loves about college life, hazing usually takes a back seat. That is unless you are part of the aal izz well gang. Without fail, when asked about their favourite bit from the stage adaptation of the 2009 hit 3 Idiots, the cast recalled the ‘ragging’ scene, deeming it hilarious.
The play, which runs on November 24 at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, is a coming-of-age tale with the hiccups of self-discovery and friendship shown in all their messy glory. But it’s also educational, says artistic director Jimish Thakkar. “We want the audience to understand the importance of following one’s passion,” he explains in a written interview with Gulf News tabloid!.
While the production, a collaborative effort by local theatre group The Hive and dance troupe Avega Dance Creations, is a take on college life, it does come with some adjustments. “The challenge was to present a story keeping it in a way that was true to the soul of the movie and yet different in terms of presentation and interpretation. The movie (and its characters) are one of the most iconic characters of recent times so we had to ensure that our kids resemble them in terms of their emotions and physicality. However, we also wanted them to add to the roles by bringing in their own characters and personalities. In the play, (unlike [in] the movie) all the key roles are played by girls. Finally, the last thing we would want it to show the film scene by scene on stage — and so we’ve reinterpreted the some of the best scenes from the movie and presented it in a dance-theatre style of storytelling,” says Thakkar.
The result, he believes is a “credible showcase from some very talented kids” that will have you reminiscing about your own college days.
The cast, Nandini Bhattacharya (Ranchi), Megha Bhatia (Rajni), Sakshi Sivan (Farhana) and Khushbu Udhani (Virus), all call their characters very relatable and educative. Sivan, for instance, says, “I have learnt from this role that we must not keep our feelings and our ambitions inside ourselves. We must have the courage to pursue our passion. I learnt from this play that everything works out in the end if we are true to ourselves and work hard, of course.”
“The theme of friendship and the pressure of Indian or Asian Education system is something we thought our cast and the audience (primarily Asians) would relate to,” explains Thakkar about taking on the movie adaptation, itself based on a book by Chetan Bhagat called Five Point Someone. He vociferously adds: “This pressure cooker system [of education] has to change.”
And if Udhani is anything to go by, the objective of the lesson has been met. “The play was a huge learning ground for me since it taught me that life shouldn’t be based on running behind success but working towards our intelligence, alongside with things like teamwork and how dedication is important to give justice to a character like this.”
Aal Izz Well indeed.
Don’t miss it!
aal izz well runs at November 24 at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue. Tickets to the show are Dh60.
