Highlighting social issues through street plays

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 19

It’s a school after school, but with a difference. Aspiring youngsters from the city have found a way to learn to channelise their inner creativity and also make a difference. Creating awareness through street plays based on socially relevant topics, these youngsters are preaching in disguise of entertainment.

Staging nukkad nataks on social issues like drug de-addiction, health and some social welfare schemes run by the government, the young theatre artistes from Sai Creations, run by Gurinder Makana, are engaging people from the weak section into the process of change. “These youngsters come from poor families, where not much awareness is there regarding social policies. Also, not many of our target audience has access to media channels to know about such schemes or campaigns. So, street plays are the best form of education for them,” says Gurinder Makana.

Recently, his team staged a street play on drug de-addiction. “We focused on information regarding de-addiction centres being run in the state and the treatment being offered. We also did a play on aadhaar schemes and Swacch Bharat movement,” he informed.

Collaborating with Citizen’s Forum Vidyamandir in Maqboolpura and other neighborhood schools, the theatre group performs most street plays in social satire format. “Its entertaining as well as engaging,” says Makana.