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Slum children take centrestage
Natsamaj conducts acting and drama sessions for aspiring actors in Malavni.......Brinda Majithia. Malad Visit the slum area in Malavni in Malad on a Sunday and you will witness how the young slum dwellers enjoy their acting and theatre classes. These children are taught by Natsamaj, a socio-cultural organisation which consists of 20 professionals from different walks of life.
Collectively, the group creates awareness about the social problems faced by the masses living in the slum areas and bring about a change in their own way by means of expression through entertainment and theatre. "Films, Hindi film actors and music have an impact on the psyche of these kids," says Lalit Parimo, a veteran actor who started the group Natsamaj.
He added, "Initially they were slightly reluctant to learn theatre and acting, but now they enjoy it. It has captured their imagination."
Natsamaj organises acting workshops in slum areas teaching the art of expression. These workshops eventually culminate into plays. They perform low cost and socially relevant plays with the slum people in different areas of the country, to educate and bring social consciousness among them and provide a means of earning to the people living in the slums.
Their aim is to spread awareness among the masses about social problems and also provide a helping hand by the funds gathered from these plays. "We all live in a world where our feelings are suppressed. Theatre and acting is a medium through which you can vent out your feelings. Learning theatre for these kids, is a kind of cathartic experience, they feel cleansed," says Lalit Parimo.
Currently the group has taken a new project of educating the young children of the slums. They conduct classes every Sunday in the slums where they teach them fundamental English language skills and also give them tuitions in subjects they have difficulty with like Mathematics.
"Teaching theatre and acting to slum kids is an enriching experience. It's sad that sometimes these kids, who are from the age group of eight - 14, prefer whiling away time rather than studying," says Sarangi Soni, an actor, writer and a member of the group.
Soni added, "We work with them in academic areas where they are weak and also enable them to learn acting which in future can be taken as a vocation too."
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