22 Sep 2016|Mumbai | Amity University Mumbai
Award Winning Actor Sahil Ansari Joins Amitians in their Theatrics
Award Winning Actor Sahil Ansari Joins Amitians in their Theatrics
On 22nd September 2016 Ami-Theatre Group, “Young Thespo” had its inauguration ceremony along with a workshop which was presided by Chief Guest, Mr. Sahil Ansari, from Swastik Productions with an audience of 200+ students.
The proceedings began with the club president Sharanya Maitra outlining the roster for the club activities in the coming months including Theatre Day, aspirations for creating a full length drama to be performed on professional stage in Bombay. This was followed by the lighting of the lamp by Mr Ansari, and the Vice Chancellor of the University Dr V.V Khole, Dr Becky Thomas, Maj. Gen. Shridhar. Actor Anshul Singh also graced the occasion with his presence.
After this classical dance was presented to the audience to the tunes of “Ganeshaya Dheemahi” from Amitabh Bachchan starrer Viruddh. A skit packed with bravado was performed by Chirag Shetty from ASET and Shaleen Jha from ASCO stirring the mood in the crowd. A bollywood style dance routine unfolded on stage while what appeared to be an impromptu jig erupted in the crowd by a student from ASCO off stage which captured everyone’s attention instantaneously.
However, faculty mentor Ar. Onkar Kulkarni revealed that this spontaneous act was designed to show how two contrasting styles can strike balance and engage the imagination of onlookers alike. Anshu, the student in question was applauded nonetheless. Next, another skit organized and performed by students from ASET called ‘Godfather Dead’ mesmerized with the lighting and unique use of props. The chief guest’s past achievements and accolades including an award for the casting of the show Mahabharat were brought to everyone’s notice by Sharanya. An interactive talk show opened up between Mr. Ansari and Saurav Chatterjee which also doubled up as a workshop wherein he addressed the fears and questions the students present had about the craft and world of films, television and dramatic arts.
He counselled them to know oneself as he said it was the key to knowing and understanding characters. And he also felt that practising such self awareness was needed to analyse struggle and in identifying professional goals. The audience in particular appeared to be relieved when he gave them tips and tricks like keeping an empty mind before audition to avoid diluting their performances and this quote “Dikhana nahi, dikhna hain” along with placing emphasis on an optimum level of stage fright. When a student was curious about external elements that might affect his performance during an audition he was told to learn from the Fourth Wall Theory and understand the Magic of what Mr Ansari called the ‘What If Scenario’.
Finally he made a call inviting students to display their talents in the fields of acting, direction, dance, etc and announced that auditions for the same would be taking place in the near future.His empowering words left a very enthused and fervour filled room. The event concluded with a felicitation ceremony, felicitating the Chief Guest, the faculties in charge of Young Thespo, Dr Manjree Vaidya and Ar. Onkar Kulkarni respectively and the club President Sharanya Maitra with Vice-President Saurav Chatterjee. A proposal for vote of thanks was delivered by the Executive Junior of the Club, Tejaswini.