Performing Arts Festival aka PAF

Prologue: PAF or the “Performing Arts Festival” was the experience of a lifetime! Okay so I might be all high on senti on it, but I am not exaggerating it one inch. I might even be incapable of summarizing the “God-giri” of the entire scheme of things in one post.

Technical background: The spring semester is witness to the biggest Dram-Dance jamboree of IIT Bombay called PAF. 13 hostels (and Tansa house) are divided into 4 teams that lose their wits to put up a 40 minute performance!

Snapshots of this extravaganza…

• Nightouts
• My first encounter with the insti lingo..something that I now use so often its almost running in my veins
• A moment when I exclaimed “God-giri” and truly meant it
• An experience that made me re-establish my faith in [Quote] Impossible is nothing [Unquote]..
• Insomnia and the zombie look derived thereof
• Ridiculously long script quarrels carrying the fate of a hermit
• Missing lectures to catch up with some sleep
• Fighting with batchmates to postpone a quiz/seminar
• Standing on the OAT centre stage (with your hands up, zonked expressions, et al.) when you are the last person who anyone would look at (yeah that’s true...my first PAF)
• As an audience to your rivals- Chanting Daya-Daya with all the devotion you could gather… (yes…we believe in team spirit, believe in it, take it personally, let it blow our sense and logic into shreds)
• Endless discussions on some legendary (both in positive and negative light) PAFs the insti has seen
• “Impact toh yahin aa gaya”/ “Ye toh fight hai”/ “Delta effort”/ “Scope hai yeh toh”!!!
• Amazing dialogues, senti people and standing ovation…sigh…
• InSight PAF review video and its aftereffects (Read: Re-forming your opinion on some of the famous faces of the insti)
• Harmless “jasusi” on your opponents’ theme/script/casting/prod/whatever comes
• Hearing “Ab aise PAFs kahaan hote hain” for the 156th time and still putting your heart and soul into the “task” at hand
• Mind blowing prods: Golden temple, 2-storey bank, bus, mike (!), a replica of the coffee shack, a university….
• Prod-Junta: This breed was the real soldier of the block. A GOD PAF called “Déjà vu” offered a slice from the typical “Prod-Junta” conversation (“Poore OAT mein badal barsadenge” to exemplify!)
• Rumors of your script being circulated in the entire insti
• Rehearsals, scene improvisation
• Gorging on idlis (Courtesy- Maddu Mess) at 5 in the morning after a night long rehearsal session
• PAF analysis by self-proclaimed “experts in the craft”
• Huge monochromic backdrops
• There are 2 kinds of people involved in the making of a PAF: a. FA (Fine arts) Junta; b. Rest of the world. Only the former can differentiate a certain “Chrome yellow” from a “Metallic yellow” (Yikes!). For the “rest” (that features yours truly!)- There is only one yellow in VIBGYOR!
• I had the fortune of being a part of two “extreme” PAF teams..:P…I have even been slightly envious of people who were part of 4/5 PAFs even if they happen to be my friends
• PAF treats
• Fundae sessions with freshies, describing them the “momentousness” of a PAF in your life
• And BEFORE all that- fighting to get the best hostels in your team
• Even BEFORE that- Hostel cultural council discussions on which team to fight for (Uska Dram God hai, uska music, aur FA punters toh humari hi team mein hona chahiye)
• But first: RE: Fundae sessions (when you are a freshie), being described the “momentousness” of a PAF in your senior’s life
• Makes you rethink what “impact” means right?