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Time of India

When children from slums took stage & captivated audience

Nagpur: "Theatre allows us to express the unseen energies of the human mind while we enjoy the performance," said former divisional commissioner Anup Kumar, addressing a gathering that witnessed something extraordinary: A group of children from Nagpur's slums transforming streets into stages and spectators into believers. The Akkad Bakkad Slum Children's Theatre Festival , organised by Meraki Performing Arts Organisation , concluded this week with unforgettable performances by children from 'bastis' like Danteshwari and Pandharabodi. This unique event proved that creativity needs no polished floor or velvet curtain — just a voice, a story, and an audience willing to listen. Renowned literary figure Gyanranjan, editor of Pahal magazine, inaugurated the festival and reminded everyone, "Introducing theatre to children in their early years is a powerful step. Theatre is not just an art form, it is the art of living." Two hard-hitting street plays took centre stage — 'Arre Bap Re' and 'Kitaabon Se Dosti' — performed by children from Danteshwari and Pandharabodi slums. In their own dialect, with minimal props but maximum heart, the children highlighted environmental concerns and the transformative power of friendship with books. They urged their communities to befriend books, and dream despite the hardship. "These kids became storytellers of their own lives, they were not acting, they were inspiring," said Rupesh Pawar, director of the Meraki group. Organisers announced their intent to take this format to rural parts of Maharashtra, bringing child-centric theatre to more underprivileged communities. The event was made possible with support from Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Ajeet Gampawar, Suraj Parmar, Kamayani Mishra, Prashant Tambe, Sanjay Kumar, and Vikas Dubeywar. The Meraki team — Pushpak Bhat, Nikita Dhakulkar, Akshay Khobragade, Krishna Latta, Mayur Mankar, Swanand Kottewar, Shubham Shukla, Rajesh Bishnoi, and Sharan Pandey — worked tirelessly to shape the dreams of these young performers.