Students of the university will now be able to learn theatre and also get to perform, thanks to Avartan.
Avartan is the first of its kind theatre club set up in the University of Hyderabad by Satyabrata Rout. It was setup in 2010 with the aim of spreading awareness about theatre among students. It actually began in 2007, in the name of Theatre Club of S N School with a small group of students interested in theatre. The group wanted to do drama outside the theatre department, so as to take drama to all kinds of students.
The group staged a lot of performances across North India in 2007 and hence gained immense popularity. With a wish to promote theatre awareness, personality development and ‘applied theatre’, which is not just confined to theatre; it seeks to empower students. “We get students from different streams. For a lot of students, especially from science backgrounds, it’s about creative relaxation. They spend so much time studying that drama is like a creative distraction to them,” explains Mr. Rout.
The workshop is conducted every semester for a period of 10 days for two hours in order to benefit students from all streams. “We have a screening procedure for students who apply, where we interview and then shortlist them. There has been an overwhelming response from the students, which is good news, but we take a limited number of students only.”
He further added, “We can definitely do with more support from the administration, as we are still growing and have great potential.” The workshop first enlists students, trains them in theatre, and by the end of the course, a play is staged by the students for all to see. The students, on completion of the course get a certificate from Avartan. “Being an autonomous club, we don’t act in accordance to any department, not even the Theatre Arts department where we actually work,” he added.
Srinivas, an MA Communication student, who attended the workshop last semester says, “It was a dream come true for me. It brought out the latent talent and gave me a lot of confidence. The idea of a student from a non-theatre background performing on stage to an audience is an exhilarating experience.”
Avartan also plans to work with slum kids in nearby villages and with the spastic society to push the boundaries of applied theatre. They recently staged a play called – Waiting for Godot at Lamakan, a cultural centre in the city. “We are having a performance in the university on the 22nd of October at the DST auditorium and on the 23rd at the NIFT,” Mr. Rout said.
