With Oasis ’26 knocking at the door, the Oasis English Press sat down with Adhyayan, Coordinator of the Hindi Drama Club (HDC), to discuss the club’s preparations for the fest.
Adhyayan explained that for Oasis, the club generally alternated between stage plays in even years and street plays in odd years. This year, the club’s stage adaptation was inspired by ‘Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa’, an episode from the anthology Ray, which was based on a short story by Satyajit Ray. Having watched all four episodes of the series, Adhyayan felt that this particular episode, starring Manoj Bajpayee, was the most suited for a stage adaptation thanks to its ability to blur the boundary between the performer and the audience, making it a natural choice. Beyond Oasis, HDC remained active throughout the year, organising Amalgam, a collection of four to five short plays, alongside productions during the semester and acting sessions for their juniors.
Preparations for the play had begun with writing the script in July, script reading in August and rehearsals starting the very next day. The club’s two Directors of Oasis (Diros), Aayushi and Krishna, played a central role in this process, from selecting the play and casting actors to scheduling practices and guiding the actors through their performances. However, bringing a production together is much more than learning lines. Recalling his own experience, Adhyayan explained that performing in the Main Auditorium for the first time could be overwhelming, especially when faced with rows of empty seats during practice. The team therefore had to work on projecting their voices and becoming comfortable on stage. He revealed that he was pleased by how well the actors had handled their first practice in the Main Auditorium.
A challenge had been fitting the entire production into the competition’s 60-minute limit, from an empty stage at the beginning to an empty stage at the end, without compromising the quality of the performance in any way.
His own responsibilities involved coordinating with the StuCCA and other departments, particularly to arrange auditorium access for practice. He described the role as relatively relaxed in comparison to that of the directors. Adhyayan also shared his excitement about the club’s upcoming performance at the Oasis Inauguration, marking the first time that HDC would perform during the ceremony.
On a parting note, Adhyayan encouraged students not to feel overwhelmed by college life and to make time to enjoy themselves. Quoting Shah Rukh Khan, he reminded them that ‘life is always good in the end, and if it is not good, then it is not the end; the picture is still not finished.’