Challenging conformity

A group of 19 students from Carmel College For Women, Nuvem are putting together a tiatr titled ‘Lok Kitem Muntolo?’ today at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. NT BUZZ gets more details about the tiatr that tackles important issues

RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ

Providing its students an opportunity to showcase their talents, Carmel College For Women, Nuvem is set to stage their tiatr titled ‘Lok Kitem Muntolo’ for the second time today at 3:30 p.m. at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.

The tiatr is a family drama tackling four important issues. It is written and directed by Cultural Secretary of the college, Inoshka Moraes, who has also acted and sang in it. “I developed the script by observing people and somewhere I noticed in people’s conversations that they always used this phrase ‘Lok Kitem Muntolo?’ (What will people say?). It took almost two months to complete the script,” says Inoshka, a second year BA student adding that the tiatr would be a good opportunity to raise funds for the college.

She further explains the main theme of ‘Lok Kitem Muntolo?’ by pointing out how we are always bothered about what people are going to think if we do some particular thing.

Inoshka adds: “Many a times we humans take a step back and do not go to do certain things what we like because society may not accept certain ideas or certain things we do.”

The second theme that the tiatr touches upon is the concepts of ‘love marriage and arranged marriage’. Inoshka says that some people believe that the decision made by their parents regarding their life partners is the best; however, in the tiatr she has shown that regardless of the marriage being ‘love’ or ‘arranged’, it depends on the husband and wife – their sacrifices, understanding, acceptance and patience with each other.

Another issue shown in the tiatr is about how parents compare their children to others. “Some parents want their children to be the best, to get into professions the parents have chosen for them and this is actually where sometimes the parents fail to understand their children,” Inoshka explains.

Tackling the suicidal tendency prevalent amongst youngsters who soon opt for this extreme step especially in matters of love or when they are not allowed to marry the person of their choice, the tiatr has tried to show how children can find better solutions.

When asked if this tiatr is any different from the others, Inoshka says: “First of all we are all girls and being girls we have to disguise ourselves as boys and act. We are in the age group of 18-20 but still we have taken up roles that are double our age. For example: Selima Gomes who is just 19 plays the role of a 70-year-old grandmother. Also there are no prompters for our tiatr.” She adds that there is humour throughout the play.

The main cast of the show comprises of Inoshka Moraes, Neychelle Vaz, Selima Gomes, Cheryl Duarte, Janaya Picardo, Mansi Naik, Ashwetha De Souza. The students were helped by their assistant professor, Agnelo Dias.

(Lok Kitem Muntolo? will be staged today at 3:30 p.m. at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Ticket for per person is `100 and are available in the college as well as at the venue.)