Students present Munshi Premchand’s ‘Idgah’

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, October 24

Now, who has not heard the story of Hamid, his day on Eid and his greatest gift to his grandmother? Munshi Premchand’s “Idgah” is one of the reasons, which makes childhood of many among us memorable. The presentation by students and the staff of Millennium School brought back those memories. A fundraiser production, originally written by Munshi Premchand and staged at Punjab Natshala, “Idgah” proved to be both a visual and an emotional treat.

The opening scene brought to fore the preparations that prelude any major festival in our country. The tone of gaiety and anxiety over monetary crunch was set right in the beginning, when Ameena, the central character played by Sandeep Kaur, sets off her grandson Hameed, played by Sumanyu Gupta, for the Eid fair with just three annas to spend. Remember the dialogue, “Gareebon ki kya Eid, kya Diwali?” Well, that is what resonates with each of us every time we hear the famous story.

Directed by HS Harsh of Educomp, the play made an ingenious use of Premchand’s original storyline to convey a gamut of social issues without taking away the soul from the story. The cast included staff, students of the school, besides the ones, who work on the side lanes.

The highlight of the show was Hameed’s love for Ameena that flows with such intensity that he braves the ridicule and mockery of his peers and holds on to his choice of an ideal gift for his grandmother. The soulful echoes of Sufi music, the aroma of seviyan being cooked and the resonance of Id Mubarak created a real life festivity ambience on the precincts of the Natshala.

The proceeds of the play will be used to build toilets at a government school in Amritsar. “Idgah,” a dignified play espousing the cause of dignity and worth more than the money spent was indeed laudable.