When The Climate Project (India), an independent chapter of Al Gore’s non-profit body, the Climate Project, hosts the Green Job Fair next week, seminars and talks won’t be the only mediums to spread the message. The organisation has roped in a new theatre company from Delhi, Pukar, to provide an essential prod to turn green. The 25 members of Pukar, mostly students and young professionals from the Capital, are looking towards Bollywood to drive home the message to the masses.

“Because Hindi films are part of India’s mass psychology if you wrap a message in a Hindi film, you’ll never miss. The audience will take something away with them,” says Aditya Uppal, director of the play which draws upon scenes from Pati, Patni aur Woh , Sholay and Dak Bangla as well as an original skit called Mere Paas Kya Hai, which takes place in a world coloured black by emissions from industrial towers. The storylines twist the originals so that Gabbar in Sholay gets a positive shade as an environment-friendly rogue who cares for plants, and Dak Bangla is haunted by the ghost of an ancient tree. Palok Singh, who enacts the role of Amitabh Bachchan in Sholay , states, “Our stress is not on imitating the actor but to remind the audience about the film, and to show how the mere fact that Gabbar is a plant lover makes him more acceptable in our eyes.” In Pati, Patni Aur Woh , the new bride is presented as being economical about using water unlike her husband who leaves the taps running.

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