THE INCOME TAX PAVILLION

THE ENTERTAINERS - Rajib Sanyal, QUIZzing around....

Rajib Sanyal was flown from his native Kolkota just for this, for him, the fifth annual appearance in IT@ IITF in a row ! Exuding the same charm, unravelling newer techniques to dumbfound little quizzers to flock around him at each of his two shows on every one of his six days there, this bundle of energy added glitter to the show. The performance starting with a few paces on a solemn Aadithya Hridaya mantra note each time, flared up in minutes to become a frenzy with everyone as the filmi segment reached.  

Rajib remained the cartoonists' delight as he was last time. I made two 1-Minute attempts on him, one at the IT pavillion and the other at Vatika Apartments of the IT Department, where we stayed together these days. 

Rajib was magnanimous to have called me 3 times to the stage permitting me to do on-stage live caricaturing of those little instant quiz winners. I loved to stand on the podium for those few seconds, from where I could watch different responses from the staring eyes, to my speed and.... weight ..Hi Ho !

Rajib who considers the legendary Siddhartha Basu as his mentor has grand plans for the schools. Some day sooner, they will be realised, I am sure !

The ENTERTAINERS - NUKKAD

NUKKAD remains the deadliest art form to convey a message in any fair like this. This time, the group was different and the theme, slightly so, with the info on return filing and PAN retaining their safe positions in the 20 minute play held twice daily. Last time, it was the FOURTH WALL from Delhi with four shows daily, which albeit its slightly jarring frequency in appearances on the rangmanch held sway like the present troupe with the hilarious expositions. 

Last year, it was the FOURTH WALL from Delhi again but they were vast in numbers. Curiously enough, the first man in Pragati Maidan that I could recognise this year on day one was Mahesh the Kerala boy in the look out for meaty film roles, who acted as the wise old man in that nukkad, who appears second here. He had apparently grown taller, handsomer as an immediate aftermath of landing a small role in an upbeat Hindi film to hit the screens soon. I would like to see the sincere, truly struggling young man as a considerable actor in Bollywood very soon ...

They called him Guruji. Looked ideally so with his face exuding mystery and world wisdom in good volume !