Students’ satirical play enthrals audience

Shoolini University’s theatre wing, Creative Studio, captivated audiences with its latest production, “Naatak Paracetamol”, an adaptation of Molière’s iconic comedy – “The doctor in spite of himself”. The play was staged at Tagore Theatre today.

Directed by Ankur Bashar, a theatre practitioner and Assistant Professor of Performing Arts at Shoolini University, the play was a witty, high-energy satire that pokes fun at blind faith in doctors and the absurdities of societal norms.

The play follows the comically twisted tale of Sganarelle, a woodcutter, who is mistakenly believed to be a doctor. Through a series of outrageous circumstances involving deception, mistaken identity, and social critique, the play unfolds with themes as relevant today as in Molière’s time — touching on domestic violence, access to education, and socio-economic divides.

“This year, we chose comedy as a political act, and in today’s world, the comic is often political and the political, deeply comic. Molière’s work continues to mirror the hypocrisies of modern society, making it ideal for a student-led performance that is both engaging and thought-provoking,” Ankur Bashar said.