When the group first went to perform in a slum on Tadiwala Road, they had to create space in the strewed garbage and put effort to grab attention of those who mocked at the seriousness of it. Post that they presented the play twice on that road along with several other open places and crammed lanes. Taking it to ground zero and informing the crux of the pandemic that has hit the city, members of Art Academy have been staging a play on swine flu over the last few days all across the city.

The 45 minutes play was performed fifteen times on Independence day from 5.30 in the morning to 12 midnight, with the first show at Dagdushet Ganpati. Tracing the causes, effects and precautions of the flu and interacting with the onlookers the play is presented in a humorous milieu. “I wrote it at one stroke. In fact, I myself did not accurately know what swine flu was until I heard Dr Prakash Awte on Akashwani updating on it. I recorded the information and immediately converted into this play so to create wakefulness among many of those who are more vulnerable to this owing to their environment. Making it as interactive as possible, some of the dialogues develop during the course of it and we make them pledge on taking preventative measures so that more and more people are involved,” adds Kumar Aher, writer, director who also plays the role of a Pradhan in the play.

The group of eight also includes Milind Ghodke who plays Maharaj, Rashid Shaikh, Akshay Paygude and Bapu Nanaware. Doing it without any monetary help there have been people ferrying them at different venues at no cost and offering other assistance. The group will be performing throughout Ganesh festival at the various mandals. “We are flooded with calls and people requesting us to perform in their areas saying that many are still ignorant. We dedicate it to the staff of Naidu hospital who has been working so hard and more importantly derive inspiration from Savtribai Phule who was in the forefront serving the patients when plague grasped the same city many years ago,” says Aher.