MCC students’ street play pays homage to late professor, P Rajani

‘Idhu Vaaliba Vayasu’ is also a tribute to the youth who volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic

A group of youngsters march out from the audience’s aisle singing, “thananaa thaanana” in high-pitched voices. This team of 11 students from various departments of Madras Christian College (MCC) transformed their personal experiences of the pandemic into a theatrical piece, resulting in the street play Idhu Vaaliba Vayasu. They walk chanting slogans in an attempt to break the fourth wall. The play highlights everyday problems, touching upon patriarchal notions in the society and emphasising concerns such as substance abuse, unemployment and violence. “We wanted to reflect on the adage, ‘Youth, the future pillars of the nation’.It is also a tribute to the youth who volunteered during this pandemic,” says Rizia Chrislin Bernis, one of the cast and a student of English Literature. The play directed by David Wesley, assistant professor, Department of English, also touches upon how the youth of this nation have always come to the rescue in times of calamity.. David is one among many who carry forward the legacy of iconic thespian and professor P Rajani who passed away on August 7, 2020. Along with the students, he dedicates the play, which is now available to view on YouTube, to Rajani.