Ahhh! Sep 5.
I will always remember this date. It holds a special place
in my heart due to the turn of events that took place in the days leading up to
Sep 5 and to top it all the grand climax exactly ten years ago!
I was 2003 and I was in class 11th. A group of my
friends decided to stage a play on teachers’ day—Sep 5 in the school auditorium
as part of a day long cultural programme on the occasion.
Our play ridiculed the Indian education system and was set
up in a Delhi school. My friends wanted me to play the part of the principal,
which was a pivotal character but I was reluctant and refused.
However, when I realized that two dames in my class on whom
I had a huge crush were part of the play, I decided that it was time for me to
showcase my acting skills and in turn enrich and touch people’s lives.
So, we started the rehearsals two weeks before the play was
to be staged. We would practice during the lunch breaks and even stayed back
after school.
One of my classmates, let’s call him Mr. X, was one of those
who always wanted to be under the spotlight and because he had heard rave
reviews about our play from those who saw the rehearsals, he wanted to be a
part of it.
However, it was too late and our play was almost ready, with
no scope of adding a new character or replacing an old. Moreover, everyone was
miffed with the fact that he was literally forcing us to let him be the part of
the act. Why should we budge? Thought everyone and he was given a polite
sendoff.
As we were giving the final touchups to the play, just two
days before it was to be staged, BOOM!!! A bomb dropped.
Mr. X came to us and told us that our play had been
cancelled as it was too long and would not fit in the limited time slot for the
programme.
The jealous Mr. X has actually approached the head girl of
the school who was senior to us was managing the event. Apparently, the girl,
let’s call her Ms. Y had a crush on X’s brother who too was in our school and
was senior to Y.
So, Y was doing what X was telling her to do to impress his
elder brother.
We went to our vice principal as we didn’t have the guts to
complain to the principal.
Apparently our case was weak because we had no school
teacher directing our play and everything right from direction, costumes,
dialogue etc. was done by us- the students.
This sadly went against us as the vice principal refused to
take us seriously and just like a sarkari babu spoke the golden words: “I will
look into the matter,” followed by an evil laugh. (Kidding)
We knew she was on X and Y’s side. May be she was not
supporting them but definitely shared their view.
Gathering courage we presented our case to the Principal,
fondly called Hitler. For a change, she treated us gently and immediately
called upon the Vice Principal who gave the silly argument that our play was
too long.
After a round of discussions, it was decided that our play
would be given a slot of 14 minutes as against 20 earlier and that we would
have to stage the play in front of the Vice Principal and Ms. Y the same
afternoon before the D Day.
But as we were in the VP’s office, the time was further
reduced to 12 minutes keeping in mind the entrances and exits on stage. X and Y
had a smirk on their faces.
However, the two were bitch slapped minutes later when we
completed our play in 10 minutes flat instead of 12.
Our play was given the green signal by the VP and the
dejected duo looked on.
In the meantime, Mr. X too got compensated somewhat as he
landed a small role in a period play being staged by our arts teacher.
The D Day came. September 5, 2003. Our play was the second
after a dance performance.
We started to a lukewarm response but as soon as I entered,
I don’t know why the whole auditorium erupted with cheers and hooting. I was
being cheered even before I opened my mouth to speak. God knows why.
The decibels rose further as soon is spoke my first line
which actually mocked our principal but in a funny, harmless way. Even Hitler
had a hearty laugh when I mimicked her.
12 minutes later, the curtains came down to a rousing applause
and boy were we charged. I still get goose bumps when I think of that day.
The next item was Mr. X’s play. Being a period act it was
ought to be boring unlike our play which was humorous and quirky.
Minutes later, Mr. X entered dressed as a King. He started
speaking and the throne on his head fell off as the crowd burst into laughter.
Two lines later he exited. That was it. That was the 15 microseconds of fame
that Mr. X got.
I still remember juniors came up to me calling me Mr.
Principal even weeks later. That was how popular our play and my character
became.
However, the story hasn’t ended yet.
The icing on the cake was the evening of Sep 5 when I was
supposed to get my first ever spanking new motorcycle—the Hero Honda Karizma,
which was the most expensive and beautiful indian bike of that time with
everybody drooling over it.
It was trendsetter of sorts as it was the first bike in
India to have alloy wheels, digital meter, parking lights, self-start etc.
The black beauty—DL 9 SJ 8935 was brought home on the
evening of Sep 5, 2003. I could not have dreamt of a better ending to such a
magnificent day.
