Memory Files

One way of ushering in a new year is by paying homage to the ones who are no more. The 21st Safdar Hashmi Memorial Festival will remember the contributions of Safdar Hashmi,an activist theater person who was killed by goons while performing a streetplay Halla Bol on January 1,1989,as well of artists Tyeb Mehta and Manjit Bawa,theatre director Habib Tanvir — all of whom passed away in 2009 and the late performance artist Rummana Hussain.

The day-long event,organised by Sahmat,will include performances by dancer Astad Deboo and Tanvir’s Naya Theatre from Chhattisgarh which will stage the famous Charandas Chor. Deboo’s endeavour is to translate the greatness of the artists into contemporary dance moves. “I will be working with the objects for this dance performance. I will use three geometric object— the triangle,rectangle and the cube honoring them,” says Deboo about the solo dance performance.

The musical group Act One will fill the evening with music: Madangopal Singh and Vidya Shah will present Sufi music of Faiz and Kabir while Rabbi Shergill is scheduled to perform in the memory of the late Asheem Chakravarty,the lead singer and tabla player of India Ocean who passed away after a heart attack recently. “The way I see it,this is not a show but an intimate gathering with friends to remember Asheem,” says Shergill. There will also be an exhibition at the National School of Drama of photographs and text on Tanvir,while a street play by Haryana Gyan Vigyan Samiti will evoke the spirit of rebellion and revolution that both Hasmi and Tanvir embodied in their political satire.

The event will take place on January 1,at the Safdar Hashmi Memorial. Time: 1.30 pm. Contact: 23381276