Almost three years……2

The shy and self conscious boy was transformed into a first time performer by the end of the workshop ( EKJUTE’S THEATRE GROUP workshop). At the end of the workshop EKJUTE also included interested participants in their group who they found worthy enough. Being part of theatre was a real high for me and I was on the top of the world. I started working with them. My first play was “Romeo and Juliet” who has not heard of it getting such a great start was not in my thoughts. I started doing back stage and got few one liners by march in EKJUTE’s other productions but my real role came around August’08 when Juhi mam casted me in her play. Not only that she made me the Stage manager of the play. I learned a lot working on that play. What it takes to produce a play and also about acting. On the first show of the play I goofed up with my lines. I was so embarrassed that I thought acting was not for me and I should quit but after the play the response I got from Juhi mam was ..... It happens don’t take this in your head just concentrate and give your best tomorrow…. I could not believe her I spoilt her play and she was so understanding and didn’t even say a word to me. Whatever I had imagined nothing of that sort was said I had felt she would be saying she regretted including me in the play as I had known her to be strict while working and she took her work really seriously. But that was it and I was saved. I put in all my effort for my next time and I sailed through. When I was exiting from the stage I got a thump on my back.

Time passed by and it was 1 and a half years since I was part of the group. Now I was involved in many productions and I felt confident enough pulling off whatever work I was given. By now, Juhi mam had become Juhi Didi and she pushed me a lot to work hard and sincerely. All this while doing college, took off only before few days of the show or on the day we had the show. Since I had been part of the group for quite some time, almost everyone in the group was part of my life.

EKJUTE runs like a family headed by Mrs. Nadira Zaheer Babbar. We fondly call her Baaji (meaning elder sister). Baaji started Ekjute in 1981 and has run the group successfully till now and will continue to do it. I won’t be talking about EKJUTE here as anyone can google it but about my life with EKJUTE which is inside me not on google.

The true meaning of the saying "hard work pays" I learnt from Baaji. She always says whatever work you do if you have worked hard it shows.... The only way to success is hard work. I have also started believing the saying which i knew was true. Because i never believed in my life i could act.... But now with confidence i can say yes i can...Thank you Baaji

Sonu Anand

To be Contd.