Students learn from playwright Dattani online

PALANPUR: Vispur Arts College in Mehsana used information technology to generate interest in theatre recently. It was the eve of the birthday of playwright, screen playwright and director Mahesh Dattani whose play, 'Final Solutions', has been prescribed for final year students of Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University.
"As an experiment to generate interest among students, we decided to call Dattani online," said Professor Anil Kapoor. Clad in traditional Gujarati costumes the students presented garba and staged the scenes from his well-known plays.
"Both the students and the playwright were overwhelmed," said Kapoor. Everyone present was excited to interact with the dramatist, he added. "It was really Dattani among the students.
Every one got really excited when he said, 'I wish I could have enjoyed your company in person. I am really happy to interact with you through video-conferencing on the eve of my birthday'." A recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, Dattani has his roots in Gujarat.
Born on August 1958, Dattani's forefathers migrated from Porbandar to Bangalore. "I cannot forget the event and will certainly pay a visit to the state of my forefathers," said an emotional Dattani. The students, the staff and eminent academics of the town all wished a very happy birthday to Dattani.
Mahesh Dattani wrote his first play, 'Where There's A Will' in 1986. This was followed by 'Dance like a Man' (1989) this play was made into a movie in 2003, and selected as the best Picture in English Award.