Mail Today, New Delhi,Delhi /Friday, Chandigarh, April 20, Friday, 2012 April 20, 2012 IT’S FRIDAY! 21 DAY! Dedicated to the philosophy of the revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Laal rocked DLF Place Saket’s Hard Rock Cafe. Seen on the far left is the band’s flautist Haider Rahman and in the picture is vocalist Mahvash Waqar. Ekjute’s founder-director Nadira Babbar and her daughter Juhi are behind the anniversary plays. Theatrical dream turns 30 in style father, Husain Zaheer, was a by Adila Matra brilliant scientist who was the first director-general of NADIRA ZAHEER Babbar the Council of Scientific is perhaps known more as and Industrial Research. the founder-director of the “It is a less-known fact that well-regarded theatre com- Nadira is his daughter and pany Ekjute than for her I’m not surprised she occasional forays into Bol- turned out to be a dedi- lywood (Bride and Preju- cated professional,” he said. dice; Meenaxi: A Tale of Khurshid joked that even Three Cities) and her other politicians are actors who tinsel-town connection — played their roles well. “It her husband (and old depends upon who sports National School of Drama the villain’s role and who mate) Raj Babbar. are the ones that people But Nadira, who’s in the love,” he said. city to celebrate 30 years of How has Ekjute managed Ekjute, her Mumbai-based to complete 30 years? Bab- theatre company, is happy bar said: “Pure love and to be the way she is — and passion, but it isn’t right to she wears the mantle of a blame artistes if they leave guru of contemporary the- the theatre for the big atre without much ado. screen. Our country unfor- At the opening of the tunately doesn’t financially Ekjute’s 30th anniver- support theatre sary celebrations in artists.” the city last week, The ten-day festi- Nadira’s family “We can’t val took off with and friends, blame artists Pencil Sey Brush including Raj Tak, Ekjute’s Babbar, if they leave the well-known and daughter Juhi theatre for the big controversial Scenes from Roald Dahl’s Babbar and screen. There’s no play on the life Lamb To The Slaughter her husband of M.F. Husain, (above) and Maugham’s Anoop Soni, financial support starring Tom Mr Know-All (right & inset). showed up in for theatre Alter, Anoop strength along Soni and Juhi with several artistes” Babbar. When famous faces. by Adila Matra asked why the group The celebratory func- chose the play for the inau- THIS WEEKEND, take time off to THREE CLASSICS COME tion at Shri Ram Centre gural evening, Juhi Babbar saw Union Company and watch three literary classics said, “This is one of Ekjute’s Minority Affairs Minister strongest plays made on one come alive on stage, back to Salman Khurshid, Rural back for 95 minutes. Roald Development Minister of the greatest masters who ALIVE ON STAGE WITH walked the earth.” Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter, Jairam Ramesh and the Somerset Maugham’s Mr Press Council of India — The festival, which is on Know-All and Sholom Ale- Chairman, Justice till April 22 will feature ichem’s Tevye Wins a Fortune Markandey Katju, heaping Ekjute’s classics such as STRAINS OF MELODIES praise for the Babbars. Footnotes of Life, (from the Fiddler on the Roof stories) has been adapted into Tevye Wins a Fortune. over the last 27 years and 35 Ramesh reminded the Kahaaniyan and Operation Cloudburst. musical plays by Dramatech, a “We had performed these productions to include talent audience that Nadira’s late theatre group formed by IIT- plays last year too and the from Delhi University and IIMs. Delhi alumni in 1984. response was astounding,” says It is now a mixed group of 90 Director Ravi Raj Sagar, a Sagar, adding that he chose members — all working profes- marketing professional, these stories for three rea- sionals and students. has knitted these sons: one, they’re He says he had to make an three stories acknowledged classics; effort to adapt Maugham and together for an two, they lend them- Tevye “from page to stage”, but evening called selves easily to he was lucky to stumble upon a ‘The Weekend dramatisation; and teleplay based on Dahl’s Lamb Cocktail’. Why three, he had the to the Slaughter by Alfred named so? right actors. “We Hiitchcock for a BBC series. “Because the have Reuben “There was no way I could com- evening is a Israel, an accom- pete with that, so I just picked it mix of the best plished singer, to up,” he says. If you missed ‘The literary works essay the role of Weekend Cocktail’ last year, it plus music,” Tevye,” says Sagar. “‘If may be a good idea to catch up Sagar explains. I Were a Rich Man’ in a with it this weekend. You’ll hear ‘Diamonds lesser voice would have — The Weekend Cocktail will be Are Forever’ in Mr Know-All, been disastrous.” Dramatech staged on April 21 & 22 at the Shri ‘Tea for Two’ in Lamb to Slaugh- initially had only IIT-Delhi Ram Centre. Tickets are available Ekjute’s controversial play Pencil Sey Brush Tak, where ter, and ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ in alumni, but it has expanded on www.bookmyshow.com Tom Alter played M.F. Husain, flagged off the festival..