MY FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD ENCOUNTER WITH N.I.D., AHMEDABAD.

It was almost six years back when Atanusir called me to H. M. Patel Institute and said that we are going to NID to perform our drama. I thought, at that time, that NID is National Institute of Dramatics, which was a misconception at that time. Actually NID is National Institute of Designing. And they had course in which they had to study Dramatics. But it was really a nice experience. It was for the first time when I did not attend musical evening of my college though I was the cultural secretary, and it was my event. I went at NID for the performance of Zuku Zuku Aa Gilare Gaadi, one act which won the third prize at national level competition in the same year. I was excited about the performance over there. After we gave our performance, a group of four girls, they were extremely beautiful that I’d never dreamed about, and two boys, sorry but I did not observed them, and started discussing about my character. And others were around other characters. As soon as we crossed the non-smoking zone, one of the girls, who was around me, took out a packet of a cigarette, I don’t remember the brand now, and offered me as, she might have observed me keenly, I had to smoke in that drama. I didn’t on that day but I did the action. I was shocked as she was the first girl I had seen smoking. And she was shocked that I was smoking in drama and not actually. The reason they were talking with me about my character was that they were given an assignment to make our costumes according to our characters. When we reached for lunch, I saw around, where most of the students were foreigners and I realized the value of the institute. It was for the first time that I was talking with few persons originally outsiders of India. Somewhere back to my mind I thought of being a student of the institute but I knew that was not possible for me. So, I changed my mind and thought of being a lecturer there. But then again I came to know that all the courses which were running there have drawing background. I consol my heart saying: it is good to perform at such a nice place. And came back with a nice experience of performance, campus, people, food, etc… I captured all those things in my mind knowing that I would never come here again.
Cut to 2008, March. I was in B.Ed. at H. M. Patel Institute. Atanusir called me (this time I was having my own cell phone and the same number which was gifted by my parents on winning the prize at national level in that drama.) and said that we are going to NID to perform Dahan, one act play in which I was playing two roles simultaneously and both were the important roles of villain. It didn’t win any prize at any level but the beautiful thing about that drama was that Atanusir had directed this drama directly after Zuku Zuku Aa Gilare Gaadi. And I was the part of both the dramas. This time I was excited, but with experience as I had visited the institute before. And all others were unaware about the glory of the institute. Some changes were there in the institute but it was the same. The students were different but the nature of the students was the same as it was before. Girls were as freely smoking as they were earlier. We performed Dahan and Kalpkuwo this time, which were appreciated by all. As I’d told all that as soon as we’d finish our drama, the students of NID will approach us and will start asking about our characters. But I was disappointed this time as none of them approached us, simply because sir forgot to give them assignment this time. But never mind it was the second meeting and I enjoyed being there for the second time among them. And also happy that two of sir’s drama were performed there and I was in both of them. We had lunch and came back to V. V. Nagar in time. Though I thought first time that I would never get chance to come here again, I came for the second time. This forced me to be positive for my minor dream, that I want to come here as a lecturer.
Cut to: September, 2009: I finished my viva of M.Phil. and went to meet Atanusir. In the same meeting he told me that do note the 3rd March in your diary as we are having workshop at NID and I am one of those, who are going to conduct this workshop. The others were Kumarbhai and Atanusir himself. I was not having such a diary where I can note the date but then too, I kept that in my mind and I wrote in a page. I had been praying to god that I want to go to NID this time and the reason was a fare enough, at least for me. And as the date came nearer sir called me on the same number and said, “Dipan, we are not doing it”…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………., and he said, “on third march. Because we have Holi in between so, we have to shift the date.” And I was relaxed that the date is confirmed. But again the problem of shooting was there. And Kumarbhai denied coming as he was busy in editing. I thought that sir would say that we’d do it next time. But know he said that we’ll do on forth, so you do come. And I reached there in time. Had my tea and breakfast there only, behaving in a manner that I am known to this atmosphere and some of the students are even don’t know the institute since the time I know the same institute, I went to the classroom and sir introduced me as person form theatre saying, “He lives theatre….we’ll enjoy his company today.” After attending their reading of a play, we went to OAT (Open Air Theatre) with them. As soon as the students came, we started with different warm up exercises to build up their confidence in which they were excellent. Yes it is true that they feel they are different from others and they live in their own world, but this time as I got chance to know them more closely, I realized that though they be in their world, they give respect the person who is better than them in whatever field. They did all given works sincerely as expected from them. They were constantly busy in activity. Though the students of designing have nothing to do with dramatics, they were interested in what would be followed in workshop. Sir and I were constantly busy in instructing them for each and every exercise and it seemed that they were enjoying something different from their usual classes. It was good experience for them as they got a chance to know the world of theatre a bit closer and it was good for me also that I got a chance to conduct those students of the country who are rated in first fifty students of India in designing. The funny thing is they call everyone their by their name, even their lecturers. You never come to know who is student and who is teacher, who is peon. One funnier incident happened that, I heard some words in Gujarati in campus and I thought, “Hey, I heard Gujarati, yeah…” and then I realized that I was in Gujarati. It happened because we all were communicating either in English or in Hindi that I forgot that I am in Gujarat. From 9:30am to 7:00pm I was at NID, completely in a different world. Enjoyed being there. I came back with a promise that I’d go to NID every time, for this day – The Workshop Day. See you soon NID.