Good Old Times

The auditorium was packed to the last seat when the curtains rose. The first item was Krishna Bhajan,followed by a comic skit that had an unlikely Bollywood connection — 65-year-old Ram Giridhar who has a cameo in What’s Your Rashee. “I play Priyanka Chopra’s uncle,” he said with a chuckle. For the skit,he turned out in a black jacket and enacted his role as a counselor to loud applause. “I have always wanted to act. After retiring from the Haryana Electricity Board,I joined the Senior Citizens’ Kesari Club in June since it gives us a chance to act,” he said.

The event was organised by the Punjab Kesari. Among those who formed the audience were showman Subhash Ghai,who also gave away the awards,former cop Kiran Bedi,Dharam Pal of the MDH group,and Madan Lal Khurana,former Chief Minister of Delhi,who was also felicitated.

Preparations for the event started a month ago. At Punjabi Bagh,more than 50 members of the club got together every evening in the drawing room of Kamala Thukral,78,and rehearsed an old Bollywood number which was given a modern twist by Shahsi Malik,a former headmistress,and Kiran Madan. “The song Kesari Club me aano ki ji chahate shows how much we all like it here. The club is more like our family now and we look forward to meeting our neighbourhood friends here everyday. The daylong activities,too,keep us busy,” smiles Thukral.

The green room buzzed as the performers touched up their makeup,helped by youngsters such as Sonia Chanchal,27,whose father PD Chanchal is a member. “My wife and I joined the club two-and-a-half-years ago and the Punjabi Bagh community has become like a family,” said Shashi Bobal,70,who retired from Indian Tourism Corporation.

One of the most exciting events was “Hum Se Hai Zamana”,an antakshari between 20 senior members of the club and 20 Delhi University students. The seniors won,with their swift renditions of evergreen melodies. Kiran Chopra,who had founded the Senior Citizens’ Kesari Club said,“We had also organised a fashion show where elderly men and women walked on the ramp. They did it with elegance and élan .”

One of the guests had flown in from Michigan to watch her mother perform,many others had driven from Noida and other parts of the NCR. “I wanted to be here because my grandmother is performing,” said Anusha Sharma,11,dressed in a bright pink frock.

However,the prize for the most enthusiastic participant must go to 85-year-old Anata Nagpal from Punjabi Bagh,who walked to the stage to sing qawwali escorted by her daughter-in-law. “She is there every Wednesday for the group meetings,” smiled her neighbour DN Kharbanda.