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Find Out About Some Of The Most Amazing ‘Nukkad Natak’ Teams Of Bhubaneswar!





Find Out About Some Of The Most Amazing ‘Nukkad Natak’ Teams Of Bhubaneswar!

It’s no secret that India is a melting pot of cultures. Be it classical dance, folk dance, or even our very own ‘Jatras’ and Pattachitra, all these are deeply rooted in our centuries-old tradition. A unique form of art in trend these days is street theatre, or ‘Nukkad Natak.” Originating during the anti-colonial struggle, its primary objective was to take the revolution against the established power to the streets; hence the name Nukkad. Mainly performed in northern India, Nukkad Natak is back in vogue since the last few decades. On its journey from the rural hinterlands to the urban cities, it has captured the imagination of the youth.

Not just a medium of entertainment, it now is a versatile tool to educate society about various relevant issues. They are performed everywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or university campus as well as the eponymous street corners. Colleges all over the country are including it in their co-curricular activities. Such teams are born out of competition and go on to achieve glory; however, they also gain a sense of responsibility and social awareness.

Bhubaneswar also has its list of ‘Nukkad Nataks’ which is quite popular among the masses and which are eagerly looked forward to. We take a look at a few teams from the city and their journey so far.

KASH (Kuch Adhure Sapne Hamare), KIIT

Founded: 4th February 2012.

What they have to say: Sitakant Guin, former member of KASH said “We were one of the first teams to be formed in Odisha. It was a fairly new concept back then. When we performed in Market Building, people were taken aback!”

“Nukkad is a passionate performance – loud voices displaying their thoughts in a satirical yet impactful manner, on some very controversial and taboo topics, encouraging the society to stand up for what’s right and most importantly, SPEAK UP! Says Shrirang Ketkar, the . current head of the team

What are future plans?

Having had illustrious alumni like the YouTube sensation Amandeep Singh, Ketkar understands there are expectations from them “We have been constantly brainstorming to create ideas that primarily revolve around nurturing originality which will also connect with the youth.” To this, Guin adds, “Being one of the oldest societies to spring up, we have a legacy and we work to maintain it.”

Toneelstuk – The Stage Piece, ITER 

Founded: 2013

What they have to say: “Although the club was founded long back, the concept of Nukkad was introduced only a few years ago. We’ve performed at Raahgiri, Khandagiri, Forum Mart and so on. Even though the team is competition centric, we have also performed for raising awareness pertaining to many causes as well, like dengue awareness, organ trafficking and so on,” says Priyanka Priyadarshini, the head.

How can Nukkad Natak be improved?

“We’ve undergone failure; sometimes people tend to forget the motive behind their performance – which is educating people. I understand it is a competition, but we need to do much more. In the end, it’s all about elevating the social consciousness,” adds Priyanka
Aayina, XIMB-XUB

Founded: 5-6 years ago.

What they have to say: We as a team try to reflect the intricacies and reality of the society through our acts. There’s a lot of diversity in our team; some are seasoned veterans in this genre and some have raw talent. This diversity helps us gain a unique perspective on how to execute our performances, says Vinnata Rout, a team member.

How do they overcome challenges?

“There are quite a few that we face. Often, it gets difficult to keep track of everything the team’s performed, and sometimes the overall morale is affected when people leave. But our passion helps us power through,” adds Vinnata.

“The Amuza” CET

Founded:  Almost half a decade ago.

What they have to say: “Currently we have a team of 40 members and have performed on topics like women empowerment, Islamophobia, moral policing, misuse of women protection laws and corruption in politics. Till today, we’ve performed mostly in competitions, barring a couple of acts in Pal Heights and around,” says co-head Srikhetra Mohanty.What can be done to improve visibility?

“My dream is to perform at as many public spaces as we can! We’re raising awareness, but I can’t help but think that it’s not reaching the masses that we need to really educate. It’d be really helpful if the owners of public areas ease up on the permissions to perform, particularly to Nukkad Natak teams.

Aakanksh, IIIT

Founded:  2016

What they have to say: “We struggled a lot to bring this team into existence. Ever since, the members haven’t looked back and this group has been touching new heights on every opportunity they get their hands on. This year the team performed near Congress Bhawan, BMC Mall and many more locations which gained a lot of attention and was highly appreciated,” says Pushpak Hota, one of the members.

What’s for the road ahead?

“The problem is, people no longer have the patience or the luxury to stand and watch Nukkad Nataks; it is slowly ebbing out of our culture. That’s why we perform mainly at public areas. Our motto is to take Nukkad Natak to the place where it belongs – the streets and not mere fests and competitions.

For the public in the city, Nukkad Natak has been a refreshing welcome in place of the nonchalance generally expressed about important issues. The “what can we do?” attitude has been replaced by a “what will we do?” attitude. Issues that were once hushed up are now into the forefront, thanks to the youth of our city!

Author: Spandana patnaik

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