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Journalism of Courage
SOLAPUR, Nov 23: The pre-planned, well-disciplined and organised State-level Urdu Drama Competition at Hutatma Smurti Hall here, on Sunday, by Islahi-Falahi- Tanzeem (IFT), a non-government organisation (NGO) for school children, has taught the Maharahstra State Urdu Academy (MSUA) a lesson in organisation. The MSUA used to conduct the competitions in the city every year without proper planning and discipline.
Ironically, the competition did not get any aid from the academy. There were seven entries from private schools and three from the Solapur Municipal Corporation schools. New themes and enthusiasm was the hallmark of the performance. The IFT had kept prizes upto Rs 10,000 to boost the drama activities among the Urdu-speaking community.
The State Urdu Academy conducts drama competition to fulfill a mere formality. There is no publicity to the event. The script submitted by the participants are not scrutinised which results in substandard quality, opined Abdul Rashid Janwadkar an advocate and a well-known poet.
The Bengali and Marathi stage are progressive and can compete with the international standards but the Urdu drama has remained far behind owing to the negligence and callous attitude of the Urdu community. Measures should be taken for its upliftment, said Babulal Karjgikar a script writer.
The response to the IFT’s drama competition was mind-bogling as the spectators stood outside to watch the dramas. Former MLC Yunus Shaikh and the CPM MLA Narsayya Adam during their speeches emphasised that the Urdu dramas need the helping hand of the academy and should be conducted like missions.
Shaikh underlined the need for introducing a separate stage wing at the academy to fulfill all the missing gaps of Urdu drama. Noted artistes Aslam Parvej of Mumbai, Munir Shamlik of Pune and noted Marathi writer Vidya Kale in their speech stressed the need to boost up the drama spirit in Urdu.
Interestingly, three SMC-run schools performed beyond expectations and bagged many prizes. Ujale Ke Daag got the first prize, Angan Me Election got the second while Aawara Galiyan bagged the third prize.
Islahi Falahi Tanzeem president Yaqub Khatib said they would conduct a national-level Urdu drama competition.
