Welcome readers! This blog is an assigned task by Alpa Ma'am and Vaidehi Ma'am. It is a component of our thinking activity, focusing on Mahesh Dattani's play and film screening of 'Final Solution'. In this blog, I will address the assigned questions and also share my experience of performing in a drama for the first time. I will explore how this experience significantly enhanced my understanding of the world of drama.
Click here to know more about this task.
Final Solutions (1993 ) :-
Before answering the questions First let us begin with a Concise Introduction to both the Playwright and the Play itself.
□ Mahesh Dattani :-
Mahesh Dattani born on 7th August 1958 is an Indian director, actor, Playwright and Writer. He was born in Banglore to Gujarati Parents. Mahesh Dattani is a grudate in history, Economics and Political Science. He Completed his Post - graduate in Marketing and Advertising Management because he wanted to become a Copywriter. He worked with the Banglore Little Theatre, Where his first role was in Utpal Dutt's Surya Shikhar. Mahesh Dattani began his career as a Copywriter in an Advertising firm.
In the year 1986, he wrote his full - length Play, "Where There's a Will", and since 1995, he has been working as a Full - time theatre Professional. He has also worked with his father in the family business. Dattani is also a film director. His debut film is "Mango Souffle" , adapted from one of his Plays.
He is the first Playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. His Plays have been directed by eminent directors like Arvind Gaur, Alyque Padamsee and Lillete Dubey. His Various Works include ;
● Where There's a Will (1988)
● Dance Like a Man (1989)
● Tara (1990)
● Bravely Fought the queen (1991)
● Final Solutions (1993)
● On a Muggy night in Mumbai (1998)
● 30 Days in September ( 2001)
● The Girl Who Touched the Stars (2007)
● Brief Candle (2009)
● The Big Fat City (2012)
All his Plays address Social issues, not the very Obvious ones, but the deep Seated Prejudices and Problems that Society is usually Conditioned to turn away from. His Plays deal with gender Identity, gender discrimination and Communal tensions. The play ' Tara ' deals with gender discrimination. Another Play '30 Days in September' tackles the issue of Child abuse head on. The play ' Final Solutions' is about the lingering echoes of the Partition.
Mahesh Dattani is India's one of the most Successful Playwrights and his Plays are known for addressing issues that ;
" Society tries to hide or turn its face away from."
□ About the Play :-
'Final Solutions' is one of Mahesh Dattani's most renowned and Widely Performed Plays. A Stage Play in three acts. Moving between the Partition of India and the Present day, it explores issues of religious bigotry and Communal Violence. One night, after being chased by a murderous mob, two muslim boys Bobby and Javed Seek shelter in the home of a Hindu Gujarati family. The boy's arrival Unleashes a flood of bitter memories and deep Seated Prejudices. And as the tension builds towards a Powerful Climax , the Play becomes a timely reminder of the need for tolerance.
The Play's Characters grapple with their Own biases and beliefs, mirroring the Complexities of real life Situations. Dattani Skillfully Unveils the layers of Prejudice through Compelling dialogues Such as ;
" It's easier to hate than to love, isn't it ?"
The Dairy narration technique is used in the play to provide insight into the thoughts, emotions and Perspective of the characters.
The play prominently features Daksha's diary, serving as a narrative element. Through the character of Hardika, we glimpse into Present events, while Daksha's character brings us into the Past. Mahesh Dattani's skillful use of the diary as a narrative technique is widely praised in this play.
Overall, the Diary narration technique in "Final Solutions" Serves as a Powerful tool to enhance the emotional Impact of the Play and to highlight the Social and political issues it addresses.
□ About the Screening :-
On August 11, 2023, Vaidehi Ma'am organized a screening of 'Final Solutions' by Mahesh Dattani. The play-movie hybrid is available on the Zee5 platform and offers a unique blend of both formats. It provides profound insights into the ideas it presents. Notably, the use of #Chorus is effectively portrayed by Director Mahesh Dattani himself. In the narrative, 15-year-old Daksha recounts a story spanning two time periods, revealing the unfortunate reality that intolerance persists even 50 years after gaining independence. Here are some glimpses from the screening.
Question 1 :- What is the Significance of the title 'Final Solutions' and What is the Final Solution of the Play?
Answer :- The title 'Final Solutions' of the play by Mahesh Dattani holds a Significant thematic and symbolic relevance within the Context of the Play's narrative. The Play itself delves into themes of Communalism, religious intolerance and the Complex Interplay between Identity, history and Contemporary society.
The play Final Solutions is mainly about the Sufferings of both Hindu and Muslims. Mahesh Dattani has mentioned about both Communal tension and harmony beautifully in this play. Dattani Focuses on the Communal disharmony between the Hindus and Muslims. The play talks about the Condition of India during the Post Partition riots. So, From all these Points we can understand the Significance of the title of the Play - "Final Solutions".
The Gandhi Family is having a Peaceful evening but it is disrupted When Bobby and Javed - two Young muslim boys arrived at their doorsteps begging to take them inside the house. The Mob / Chorus with Hindu Masks are after Bobby and Javed and are threatning to kill them. Deapite the Objection of his mother and Wife, Ramnik Gandhi Opened the door of his house and Protect the two. After that an Interaction Occurs between the Gandhis and Bobby and Javed throughout the end of the Play. In the end of the Play, Truth was revealed.
At first glance, the title of the Play could suggest the presence of a single "Final Solution." However, delving into the plot and storyline reveals that this is not the case. The ongoing communal riots in today's time indicate that there isn't a definitive Final Solution.
Question 2 :- What was you Observed in the movie and Play You performed?
Answer :- Yes , I observed many things while watching the movie and the play we performed in. During our practice sessions for the performance, we were unaware of the screening. Thus, we performed first and then watched. Movies enable us to grasp storylines, while performing plays enhances our emotions. Learning drama through pedagogy and performing in front of everyone has helped me in learn many new things. However, screenings also play a vital role. The concept of chorus is effectively portrayed in the movie by Mahesh Dattani himself.
● A Play that We Performed :-
On August 10th, we, the students of the English Department, presented selected scenes from Mahesh Dattani's play 'Final Solutions,' guided by Alpa Ponda Ma'am. After five days of dedicated learning and practice, we delivered our best performance on stage. This theatrical journey has been a transformative experience of growth and self-discovery. Learning through performing has been truly incredible, as we portrayed significant scenes from the entire play. The act of performing emphasizes the power of education and the beauty of artistic expression.
In essence, there are distinct differences between watching a movie and performing a drama, yet both avenues provided us with profound insights and understanding. This memorable day of performing drama allowed us to grasp various dramatic techniques and gain valuable insights.
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| As Daksha |
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| Trushali Dodiya as Daksha (Scene 1) Me Hetal Pathak as Daksha (Scene 2) Avani Jani as Daksha (Scene 3 ) |
I am sincerely grateful to Alpa Ma'am for dedicating her valuable time to teach us drama techniques. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Dilip Barad sir for providing us with this wonderful opportunity and motivation. Additionally, I want to express my special appreciation to Vaidehi Ma'am for organizing screenings that benefited all of us, and to Megha Ma'am for her continuous support.
Question 3 :- Share your thoughts on Understanding drama through drama based Pedagogy or involvement in theatrical Practices.
Answer :- The Use of Drama Pedagogy in the Classroom allows both the Students and teachers to negotiate their Own learning , build Subtexts and Connect Contexts between the Fictional World and real World. There are so many benefits of learning and understanding dram through drama based Pedagogy or involvement in theatrical Practices. Drama based Pedagogy generates and Cultivates many Skills. It is a Collection of teaching tools.
During Alpa Ma'am's initial Drama lecture, she prompted us to share our immediate thoughts about Drama. We noted down various words like Stage, Audience, Props, Dialogue, Lighting, and more on the blackboard. This method encouraged our participation and facilitated a comprehensive understanding of Drama through pedagogical techniques.
Following are the benefits of understanding Drama through Drama based Pedagogy.
1. Active Engagement :- Drama based Pedagogy encourages Students to actively participate in the learning Process. This active Engagement of every Student develops a deeper understanding of the dramatic elements and narratives.
2. Creativity and Imagination :- Drama based Pedagogy nurtures Students Creativity and Imagination as we get a chance to explore new ways. This Creativity Spills over into the understanding about play's themes and message. So, these is one of the Important benefit we gained through teaching of Drama based Pedagogy.
3. Communication and Confidence :- Engaging in drama activities can boost Students Confidence in public Speaking, expression and Communication. Talking about my Personal Experience, Through Practice Session and rehearsals I developed these skills . Communication also Played a vital role.
To explore expressions and emotions in drama, Alpa Ma'am divided us into three groups and assigned a word to each group. Our task was to perform a 5-minute drama using that specific word. Our word was "victim," and our group consisted of Me Hetal Pathak, Trushali Dodiya, Pooja Bhuva, Payal Bambhaniya, and Riddhi Rathod. We collaborated to write the script in Gujarati language exchanging ideas along the way. Despite my limited acting skills, participating in this drama-based pedagogy activity guided by Alpa Ma'am proved incredibly beneficial. It facilitated my learning and helped a lot in improvise myself Here, I would like to share a glimpse of that experience.
Question 4 :- What kind of Skills do you develop While undergoing the Preparation Process for a Perfomance and How?
Answer :- Yes, We have all immersed ourselves in acquiring skills for a dramatic performance. These skills extend beyond the confines of the stage, benefiting various aspects of our lives. They encompass communication, teamwork, conquering stage fright, public speaking, self-confidence, and more. The preparation process for a performance nurtures several valuable skills.
1. Reading Session :- Initially, we all engaged in a comprehensive reading of the entire play. As we are aware of the importance of reading skills, going through the drama as a group honed our comprehension abilities. Through reading, we gained insights into the textual analysis of the play.
2. Public Speaking and Self Confidence :-
Performing in front of an audience is not simple. However, doing so in front of a crowd can significantly boost Self-confidence. It imparts valuable lessons in maintaining eye contact, modulating voice tone, effectively utilizing the stage, and engaging not only with the audience but also with fellow performers.
3. Expressions :- During a performance , effective expression Skills plays a vital role in Conveying emotions enagaing Audience. These skill Includes Facial expressions. Expressing emotions through face helps us in Connect with the audience on a deeper and better level. Through practice sessions and under the guidance of Alpa Ponda Ma'am, we were able to develop our skills of expressions for the performance.
4. Memory skills :- In a drama Perfomance, strong memory skills are essential , especially when remembering dialogues. While Performing we need to recall the lines accurately to maintain the flow and coherence of the storyline. Memorizing lines and dialogues from the play ensuring that the show goes on without any disruptions. Overall, Proficient memory skills Contribute significantly to the success of a drama Perfomance.
5. Improvisation :- Improvisation Skill played a vital role in drama Perfomance by enhancing Creativity. Overall , Strong Improvisation Skills empower actors to deliever dynamic and memorable Performances that go beyond the scripted lines and Dialogues.
6. Communication Skills :- Communication Skills are important for a Successful drama Perfomance. Active listening improves ensemble Coordination and reponsiveness during Scenes. Effective communication among all participants fosters a collaborative and cohesive production, qualities essential for a successful drama performance.
8. Team Work :- Teamwork Skills played a pivotal role in drama Perfomance. Sharing ideas and Perspective withhin the team led to innovative Solutions for challenges. Through Collaboration and team work it resulted in a truly remarkable Perfomance.
- So, we all developed these Skills while Undergoing the Preparation Process for a drama Perfomance.
Conclusion :- In conclusion, I would like to express that the comprehensive preparation process for a drama performance has enhanced our skills. It has been a tremendously valuable learning experience. Additionally, it has significantly contributed to personal growth and development.
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