 | Dhoop-Chaoon, a group of amateur local artists put a stage- show under the guidance of actor- director Sandhya Bhagat on May 1st, 2010. The show was filled with variety of plays and dances entertaining people from all walks of life including those who have left their country and settled in their new home or people who are born here but desire to witness the | | culture and traditions they hear from their parents/grandparents or read about it in the books. |
Through this show Dhoop-Chaoon brings out many contemporary issues to underline the contours of our time while providing the best of entertainment.. There were 300 plus people in attendance at Emory University White Hall to witness the unusual thinking, bountiful energy and unflagging hard work portrayed by these actors/volunteers through dance and dramas guided by Sandhyaji.
Since its inception, Dhoop-Chaoon has grown leaps and bounds. Credit of its growth could be because this group not only includes Hindi speaking adult, it also encourages young children as well as non-Hindi speaking people. Dhoop-Chaoon reaches out to people of different nationalities who have interest in Hindi language. It is the passion of acting as well as passion to preserve their tradition that binds these volunteers together. The artists’ pool includes volunteers from all walks and spheres of local Indian-Pakistani community.
The program started with glimpses of last year's program which elaborated the fact that with each successive year, Dhoop Chaoon has blossomed as a formidable local entity. The emcees Aslam Pervez and Manju Tiwari took the program ahead by telling about Dhoop Chaoon's past and emphasizing about the group’s motto of keeping the culture alive through literature, theatre and music.
|
| The variety show started with "Vikram Betaal" a drama based on the famous folktale "Raja ke teen kaan”. In this presentation, theme was expressed through a combination of acting, song, sounds, movement, dance, and physical objects. There is a social stigma that woman can not keep the secret. Through this play, the director, Sandhya Bhagat, pointed out that it is not the gender that makes a difference in keeping secrets; it is an individual habit/nature. |
"PhoolKumari Hans Padee" a play for children was geared up with lots of fun elements by the students of Natkhat Rangshaala. It viewed the whole panorama of life from a child's perspective that is to say, with innocence, perspective, sensitivity, honesty and non judgment. Just as it is a great satire on the society we adults have created, it also emphasizes the need as well as the possibility of rediscovering the child within. The kids delivered dialogues confidently showing their zeal to learn their mother tongue.
| 
|
The third presentation was video clips from web-serial "Door ke Dhol" and nearly all of us could relate with the story depicted in it. 
| Bollywood Dance “Chakkar Ghoomio”, choreographed by Rahim Hussain, was a break from the dramas which brought lot of beat to the feet of audiences as they started to clap with their hand while giving beat to the music. This item added lot of spice to this relishing event. One could feel the overwhelming excitement among the audience. |
The next item, “Zameen ke oopar waale" based on a real incident, was a big contrast to the preceding item. It impacted the psyche of people who are ordinarily not exposed to thought processes other than what is prevalent in their 'neck of woods'. In real life, there are situations when a person does heinous crime out of ignorance/conflict emotions but repents when he/she realizes the impact of his/her action on the live of victim. This story of heart-change of a person conveyed the message that we all are humans who can make mistakes but those mistakes can be corrected and the person could become a productive citizen of society again.
| 
|
| "Harrappa House" shouldered the responsibility to echo Emory University's White Hall with peals of laughter and to bring the whole ethnic ambience to life with its scintillating performances and screen-play. It revived the feeling of belonging to a place with a great past that had great people like Kabirdas, Tulsidas, Saleem, Anarkali and PrithviRaj Chauhan as its integral part. This play conveyed the message of our society where one can sell anything, if a big name is attached to it, to those who have too much money. |
With "Sureeli Behenein", the next presentation, Dhoop-Chaoon reinstated the fact that some stories never get old and can make the audiences laugh anytime. A mother's worries about three unmarried daughters lead to an unsuccessful attempt to trick an eligible bachelor only to discover later on that she herself was being tricked. The final presentation a dance performance "Sasural Genda phool" and "Ude Jab- Jab zulfein teri" displayed the metamorphosis of love in different lovable forms as it buds, grows and matures through teens, youth and old age. It was choreographed by Tarana vij. | 
|
The program treaded the final steps through a fashion show which included all Participants, Rehan Khan, Hrishikesh Joshi, Anuj Jain, Apurva Shrivastava, Bharti Lakshmi Kant Pandya, Brittiny Cody, Gurupdesh Bedi, Hema Jain, Sudesh Sharma, Lakshmi Kant Pandya, Manjit Bedi, Mimi Clarke, Nihit Tiwari, Nishi Sharma, Veena Kathdare, Nitika Ahuja, Paresh Jain, Rajan Sharma, Renu Kumar, Rita Kapahi, Anu Khandelwal, Shankar Mahadevan, Shuchi Khanna, Suparna Pathak, Tarana Vij, Rahim Hussin, Vandana Tantia, Vijay Tandon, Vikas Jain, Vikas Kahnna and child artists Ishaan Kothari, Tanishq Jain, Reshita Chanthawong, Nath Krishana Chanthawong, Eshaan Jain, Hana Dalwai and Soumya Khanna.
The Back Stage crew also participated in the fashion show, this crew included, Amin Charania,Salim Panjawani , Vimal Pathak, Dr. Nazeen Dalwai, Uzma Wajaid, Madhav Kathdare, Kartikay Bhagat, Shyam Tiwari, Tripta Sharma, Gandharv Bhagat, Nafees Bano Pervez, Paresh Jain, Anil Bhagat, Naveen Tyagi, Nihit Tiwari, Mohommad Pervez, Seema Saxena,Tilak Sharma, and Shilpa Aggarwal.
|
| The program drew to its end with all the participants including the back stage volunteers requesting the director Sandhya Bhagat to come on the stage. She delivered vote of thanks to her cast, volunteers (back stage, sponsors, and audience), sponsors, and of course to her family.
The community needs to adulate events like this event more so that it reaches towering heights which this group “Dhoop-Chaoon” delivers very elegantly and hope to come in years to come even with bigger cast and of course with more enthusiasm.
|
If you would like to inquire about Dhoop-Chaoon group or wants to become a part of it as a volunteer or would like to act in the next event, you can log on to: Dhoopchaoon.org or call at 770 680 1770.
| | |
|
