Two plays “Siachen” and “Sir Sir Sarla” were canceled during IIT Bombay’s literature festival on October 29 and October 30, 2024. These shows were directed by revered actor, and writer Makarand Pande and were all set to kick off during flabbergasting celebrations of dramatics club. Students said that it was not a new release but the dramas have already been performed two times at campus and have attained tons of appreciation.
As per the obtained information, some groups at campus were “not comfortable” with the presented central theme of the plays. On the other hand, the administration complained that the dramatics club did not attain any prior permission regarding these programs.
Responding to the Indian Express, an official said that students should have approached earlier to get official consent but they reached the department at 11th hour. They claimed that there is a committee to manage extra-curricular events and students are required to connect at least two months earlier for advance confirmation.
An Attempt To Oppress Creative Sagacity
In contrast, the club organizer students showed distress over the decision and clarified that they already attained official confirmation, security permission and venue approval for these performances in early October.
“Disappointed to see @iitbombay giving in to fringe elements by canceling this show. Heartbreaking to watch the freedom and spirit of my alma mater being compromised” a social media user wrote on “X”.
After the sudden cancellation, the artists’ and enthusiasts are sad. Woke students also described the incident as an attack on the freedom of expression citing the significance and value of masterpieces. They found that the cancellations are an attempt to oppress them and an attack on creative sagacity.
While right-wing affected hate-groups who were feeling “uncomfortable” mentioned that the drama portrays an Indian Army soldier as a coward and depicts his wife in illicit love-affair while the second play demonstrates the affair of a professor with his 2 girl students. They said that these are unethical themes for an educational institute.
However, students enrolled at IITs are not children but adults who are capable to think, differentiate and decode the world under light of knowledge from imaginary or real stories shattered around.
“Art Vs Hate” At IIT Bombay
Just a few days back the flamboyant “Dastangoi” show by the co-director of “Peepli Live”, Mahmood Farooqui was also cancelled which was set to be performed during “Izhar, 2024” at IIT Bombay.
Right-wing hate-groups at campus complained that a Jihadi terrorist (a Muslim), Mahmood Farooqui would showcase a Hindu character from old epics, therefore it should be banned.
The artsy students at IIT Bombay who often explore and experiment with innovative ways of art to analyze visionary angles have been on the barrel of criticisms since long.
In March, 2024 a play “Raahovan” during a performing art festival was brutally slammed by the IIT Bombay management. Even at that time, these were some right wing affected students who filed a complaint and described that the play hurts Hindu religious sentiments in the name of feminism.
Reacting to the play, IIT Bombay administration punished each student performer with 1.2 lakh penalty while junior students were asked to pay 40,000 rupees just for questioning some tendencies with a slash of humor and showing empathy towards women.
