Long Overdue

Shekhawat 's briefing on his picnic plans 

The much-deferred and long-overdue day picnic from the Club now seems to be materializing finally. For Shekhawat today announced February 10 (Saturday) as the date we should be setting out for a resort in the north-western suburbs of Mumbai – Kalyani Village, near Virar.
“It would take us about two hours by bus to reach the spot,” he informed. “I spoke to the resort management and they

Tara Chand distributes gajak from Delhi

have assured me a handsome discount on group booking, provided we are a minimum of 30. Both veg and non-veg dishes will be served at the resort for lunch.”
Significantly, this would be the

When we were there eight years back (file pic)

first picnic in over a year – the last outing being to Saina Resort, Malad on November 26, 2016. It was at the persistence of people like Bijoy Gupta, Banoo Apa and others that this Kalyani Village picnic is firming up.
“Until and unless we have 30 people on board, we cannot go,” Shekhawat reiterated. “Less than that number will not be financially viable. So please make up your minds and book your place at the earliest. I shall be collecting money from tomorrow.”
Getting the numbers is unlikely to be a problem, as many are indeed ‘starved’ of going out on a picnic. That apart, Shekhawat is blessed with special powers in coaxing money out of the most reluctant of people in the Club.
For the record though, this would be our second visit to the Kalyani Village resort. The last we had been there was eight years back – on Sunday, June 20, 2010 (see post). A picture from that outing is reproduced above.
How time flies!

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Picnics are occasions to celebrate the company of one another, away from the hustle and bustle of our daily routine. It is a welcome and healthy way to relax and enjoy.

Bitter Pill

Bihari Milwani

Sunita Milwani

After all said and done about our Annual Function (ref post of January 20) what remains now is the unpleasant task of having to swallow the bitter pill. This comes in the form of an objective assessment of our performance by two unbiased members of the audience, Bihari Milwani and his wife, Sunita. Excerpts from their report:
* “In the group song ‘Zindagi hanske bitayenge’, music was very loud

Kiran Prakash shares dried fruit slices

and the words could not be heard. If the mikes were placed near the chorus singers, the song would have been enjoyable. Also, there was poor coordination between the participants.
* “During the skit on Haseena Don, the audience started losing interest and began talking. This was due to poor sound quality.
* “In some items, the shadows of participants were visible on the back curtain.
* “Yusuf Rassiwala said that we do laughing exercises

Yusuf Rassiwala reads out the MILWANI REPORT today morning

for one hour and remain fresh for the next 24 hours. The correct statement would have been: ‘We remain fresh for the next 23 hours’.
* “The banjo recital by Rashid Khan was a novelty. If only someone could sing one line of the song before his playing, the enjoyment would have been more. Most of us were left guessing what the song was.”
On the positive side, the Milwanis had a kind word for Rakhi Bansi (“very good”) and Rafaqat Khan (“excellent, as her facial expressions perfectly matched the lyrics”). In conclusion, he rated the show as “excellent, qualifying for an AAA grading” – but for the shortcomings mentioned.
So this has come as a mixed bag – not a bitter pill after all. The idea behind obtaining this report was to have an honest, unbiased and no-holds-barred feedback of our performance from the audience, distinct from all the self-congratulatory hype following an event. The report should help us correct our shortcomings and initiate measures for improvement in the future.
We thank the Milwanis for showing us the mirror.

Dilip Babani:
After watching the video last Sunday, all members came to know their mistakes. We will learn from our mistakes.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
We are thankful to the Milwanis for pointing out our shortcomings in the performance. These points should be noted and taken care of in the future. Please keep behaving like children who remain happy and laugh without a reason.

Back in Groove

Nahid Khan (c) revives the jokes' narration session today

Now that the din over the Annual Function (ref post of January 20) has died down, things are slowly falling back in grove at the Garden. Last evening Shekhawat hosted a get-together at his place over high tea and a video screening of the function. Meant primarily for participants who were back-stage and could not watch the programme, the tea party should finally bring closure to all the hype and hoopla surrounding the event.
Early morning today Tara Chand Seth sprung a surprise by suddenly materializing out of the blue midway through the exercises.

Tara Chand Seth

He was in Delhi for the past few months and complained of the “unbearable winter chill and cold wave” there which obviously prompted his return to Mumbai. “This time I shall go back to Delhi only after celebrating Holi here,” he promised.
Another indication of normalcy returning to the Garden was the revival of jokes’ narration – a post-exercise ritual we have followed sedulously since the inception

Santosh Tyagi

Manisha Kolhe

of the Club. Nahid Khan today came up with a rib-tickler, which was rather unusual as she is known to be a good listener rather than a narrator.
Santosh Tyagi has been our regular narrator, but for the past four days she has stopped coming to the Garden as her son is still under treatment at Nanavati Hospital for jaundice. According to latest information from her home, he needs to be “under observation for another four-five days”. Till he is discharged from hospital, Santosh cannot resume her regular activities.
Meanwhile, news comes in of Manisha Kolhe having shifted out of Lokhandwala and taking up a place in Malad. She called to say that it would now be difficult for her to commute the distance and keep her appointment with the Club every morning. (This explains why she was missing even on her birthday last month.) We wish her well in her new residence.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Welcome back, Tara Chand Seth. We wish you could come a few days earlier and joined us for the Annual Day function. Yes, we should concentrate on our daily laughs and exercises rather than reveling in the past.

DAY 2455

Pic of the Week

When was the last anyone greeted his wife (or husband) like this, in public?

This man has always believed that the wife is the greatest of all: "She is always right!" --Kiran Prakash

Lady of the house is the big boss. The boss is always right. And it is better to respect the boss! --Angad Singh

What Next?

On a loose end?

Nature abhors a vacuum. So does Big Laaf. It therefore comes as no surprise that everybody should have one question uppermost in their minds today: What next?
A week has elapsed since the Annual Day function on January 20 (see post) and apparently nothing has been lined up after that grand show. After all, we desperately need to have something ticking all the time to be in a state of perennial high.
Banoo Apa suggested we troop into the nearest cineplex for the latest Bhansali costume drama, Padmaavat. But in view of the ongoing controversies and law and order situation surrounding the movie, the plans had to be dropped. Hopefully, things should stabilize next week for the plans to be revived, if at all.
There has also been a long-standing demand from a section of the Club for a day picnic. We’ve had no such outing for the whole of 2017. This is rather extraordinary considering that we used to set out for at least two picnics in a year from the Club. And since most of the picnic spots in and around Mumbai have already been covered, we are now left with little option – unless of course, we want to repeat some holiday resort.
Meanwhile, Shekhawat announced that he is organizing a video screening of the Annual Day programme at his place tomorrow (Sunday) at 4:30 pm. The screening will be accompanied by high tea.

Karun Sharma:
Yes, the high we just went through has to be sustained. Big Laaf members need to laugh in a big way. Let us continue having events to keep ourselves floating. A picnic, even if it takes in one night, would refresh and rejuvenate us.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Sunday evening would be another occasion for enjoyment. I have missed it by a whisker. I have had to leave (for Dubai) as the flight tickets were already booked. I shall miss the celebration!

Republic Day 2018

NATIONAL ANTHEM: BIG LAAF CELEBRATES REPUBLIC DAY

Mohan Kanwar leads march past

The 69th Republic Day dawned on the Garden with the unfurling of the national tricolor at 8:00 a.m., soon after our exercises. As per custom, the senior-most member present did the honors.

The tricolor changes hands

This time significantly, Hari Singh Shekhawat was to salute his wife as she held aloft the banner in the midst of a motley group of 50 who had gathered for the ceremony.
Following the national anthem, Mohan Kanwar Shekhawat led a march past around the Garden walkway -- again, as per Big Laaf tradition. Amid the raising of slogans, “Bharat Mata ki Jai!” the tricolor kept changing hands

Holding the tricolor aloft

through the duration of the parade till it finally terminated at the starting point near the China Hut.
Dilip Babani had organized the laddoos to celebrate the occasion. But before that, Karun Sharma recited a poem specially composed for today’s event

Another view of the march past

followed by Shanti Singh treating us to a full-throated rendering of ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ (from the film Haqeeqat). Banoo Apa was to wrap up the brief but engaging celebration, leading the chorus with yet another patriotic refrain, ‘Sare jahaan se achcha…’
In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, we stuck to tradition – not digressing from what we have been doing every year on this day. One person we missed was Santosh Tyagi. She is having to attend to her son who had been admitted yesterday in Nanavati Hospital with a severe hepatitis-B condition. We wish him well.

Karun Sharma

Shanti Singh

Sweets for all

Karun Sharma:
Enjoyment and enthusiasm walked hand in hand with patriotic fervour as we celebrated the national festival.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Republic Day, the most important day in Indian history, is celebrated by every Indian. We also do our bit by celebrating in a befitting manner. Ought to keep it going.

Dilip Babani:
Happy Republic Day to all members of the Big Laaf family.

‘Silent Worker’

A jubilant Dilip Babani (in red tee) shares his honour with colleagues

After being singled out for honorable mention for the third consecutive day, Dilip Babani was felicitated today for being a ‘silent worker’ at the Annual Day function last Saturday (ref post of January 20). He received a bouquet from Yusuf Rassiwala's hands and promptly posed with colleagues for a photo op. “Everybody contributed in equal measure towards the success

Little Salafa (Fahmida Khan's grand-
daughter) celebrates her 10th birthday

of the programme,’ he said with great magnanimity.
The impromptu celebration was the brainchild of Karun Sharma who had brought the bouquet, much to everyone’s surprise. But after the brief presentation ceremony, the bouquet changed many hands till Banoo Apa had to retrieve it and hand over the well-deserved reward to Dilip’s wife, Kajal Babani to be taken home.
Meanwhile, preparations are on for the Republic Day celebrations tomorrow. Like every year we shall have a ceremonial march-past with the national tricolor round the walking track of the Garden, followed by light refreshments. Shekhawat appealed to all members to be present on the occasion.

Kiran Prakash:
Today's blog post makes interesting reading. It is high time we realise the importance of not only every individual in the Club but also our choreographer Nadira and beautician Reena who too have contributed to the the success of the programme. I request all to stop this business of praising and counter-praising and instead, look forward to doing something more meaningful for the Club. Our continued teamwork is more important than singling out persons for praise, whether it's me or anybody else. Let's all focus on the future. This is just the beginning. Let's all apply our minds and think of what innovations we can initiate for our Club and senior citizens at large.

Bihari Milwani:
Why are so many members fighting for one bouquet? Everyone deserves a separate bouquet.

Karun Sharma:
I am happy to see playful smiles on everyone. Tomorrow is Republic Day. I wish Col Angad Singh was here with us also.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
We keep on finding an excuse to celebrate happiness. Let us continue to be happy.

Starry Dreams

Kiran Prakash accounts for all expenditure on the Annual Day function

One stage performance and we seem to be having stars in our eyes. It took one small trigger to bring this all out and get us counting our chickens before they are hatched.
Somebody phoned Shekhawat yesterday and commended us on the “entertaining show” put up last Saturday (see post of January 20)). The man said he belongs to a club of 1,500 members. Shekhawat told him to drop by at 7:30 a.m. today and meet all participants in person. End of conversation.
Shekhawat did not check who this person was, why he was calling, how he got his number, the purpose of his call, etc. He did not even bother to ask the man’s number (until Yusuf Rassiwala reminded him that it would automatically be stored in his mobile). But in no time, the news spread like wild fire and overnight, the participants started building castles in the air.
Somehow, they were all convinced that this mysterious caller intended to sign us for an exclusive show in his club. Otherwise, why should he be so keen to meet us? And why should we do it for free? Okay, we managed to get most of our stuff free, but

Geeta Latte notes down Angad
Singh contact details

Angad Singh treats us to gajak before leaving for Dubai tonight

if he also gets his work done without paying, he would turn out to be our baap! So we must charge!! We are stars after all!!!
And pray, what should be our fees?
After much deliberation and introspection, it was decided that the worth of the main actors was no more than Rs1,000 per act. Since Kiran Prakash doubled as compere, he gets Rs2,000. By that token, Bijoy Gupta would emerge the richest of all, he being the scriptwriter, director and actor rolled into one. And those with bit roles like Arun Patil and Nasir Putani Shah should not get more than Rs500. And Geeta Laate deserves only Rs100 for pulling the curtain…
Sadly, all this shall remain a pipe dream as the ‘mystery man’ did not show up all morning.

Bihari Milwani:
Is Geeta writing MADE IN INDIA on Angad Singh’s back before he leaves for Dubai?

Kiran Prakash:
I have quoted Rs100,000 for rolling out the entire programme to another club who inquired about it. Item-wise quotation will also be given. Costume and make-up charges will be extra. They look interested.

Bhaswati Bose:
But our star artiste, Angad Singh is on his way to Dubai. Either stop him before he reaches the airport or else, we shall have to pay his return airfare... and also put him up in a hotel!

Anonymous:
Dear Kiran Prakash-ji, where can I meet you?

Dilip Babani:
Everybody made annual function a success as they worked quietly. Thanks a lot. Have a nice trip, Angad-ji

Kiran Prakash:
Dear Anonymous-ji, please identify yourself. You can meet me tomorrow morning, 26th January in Garden No 4 at 8'o clock.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
During the whole year we laugh and generate positive energy so that we can enjoy our day-to-day work. The Annual Day function taught us a good lesson -- day dreaming. We all kept dreaming of a new patron. He dodged 'Kadak Singh Jailor' and his colleagues. Keep dreaming and enjoy the fun. Hip hip Hurrah!

Going Ga-Ga

Bihari Milwani (l) distributes chikkis this morning

The congratulatory messages and plaudits are still pouring in, mostly from people we don’t even know well. Funnily, many who could not get to watch our Annual Day function (ref post of January 20) last Saturday are also going ga-ga, purely on hearsay.
As good friend Navin Bhai put it: “I regret missing the show. All my friends who were present there haven’t stopped praising it. Many congratulations to Big Laaf!”
Bihari Milwani celebrated the success of the programme by treating us all to chikkis. Not known to many,

Fahmida Khan

he was appointed (rather, his wife) as a 'critical observer' in the audience in order to give us an unbiased overview of the event. This was necessary to help us identify our shortcomings and

(L to R) Arun Patil, Rukhsana and Mumtaz Jahan

make improvements for the future.
The professional auditor that Bihari is has given us an “AAA grading” and described the programme as “excellent”. His report also lists out a number of negatives which will be discussed within the Club at an appropriate time, once the current euphoria subsides.
Meanwhile, Fahmida Khan has come up with the promise of a gajar-halwa treat, but refuses to commit when it will be. There are other celebrations also lined up to rejoice our success, including high tea at Shekhawat’s place during the video screening of the function. But before that, we need to prepare for the Republic Day this week-end.
On the flip side, there has been a mishap which is fast developing into a major issue. Rukhsana Khan had brought a make-believe revolver (a gas lighter actually) for Kadak Singh Jailor’s holster in the play. Shekhawat was just about getting the feel of it when Mumtaz Jahan was seen pouncing upon it and in the ensuing scuffle, the plastic toy snapped into two. Nobody knows who is to blame.
Rukhsana is now in an embarrassing situation as a family member had lent her the 'revolver' in good faith and is placing a price tag of Rs5,000 on it. It is supposed to be "imported". Mumtaz has predictably washed her hands off. Shekhawat finds himself cornered. Arun Patil offered to repair the revolver, but has given up. Somehow, a replacement will have to be found.

Vasant Panchami 2018

Basking in the glory of a successful Annual Function

Time to celebrate – to rejoice in the success of the Annual Function (ref post of January 20) and to reap the rewards of two months of hard work. It was a bounteous harvest. What could be more timely, today being the harvest festival that marks the onset of spring?
We did not celebrate Vasant Panchami though. From early morning, compliments came pouring in from across the Garden – from Vijay Bhai and Swapna Roy Choudhury to special invitees and guests, each expounding on how much they enjoyed the three-hour extravaganza.
If someone found “Kadak Singh Jailor” hilarious, another rated the Raj Kapoor act “lively and spontaneous” while a third

Lost and Found: Bijoy Gupta
collects his belongings from the show

could not get over the name “Prem Pyari Poonawali of Bakwaas TV” and a fourth still giggling over the failed romance of a 90-year-old… But the common thread that ran through all the accolades was that never before has “such an

Arun Patil (in red) pulled up for
mistiming his cue

entertaining programme been held in Lokhandwala”.
Even the Garden watchman could not help exulting: “If only some 200 extra chairs could be provided, many people would not have returned from the gate disappointed. The place was packed to capacity. There was no room for anybody to even stand!”
We too had our share of self-congratulatory back slapping and the odd occasion of pulling up someone for a slip-up (the audience did not notice). For instance, Arun Patil was upbraided for barging on to the stage before his cue. But that’s all part of the fun and games as Kiran Prakash praised every performer by turn and underlined the fact that it was after all, a group show in which “everyone’s contribution was equally important” towards making it a success.
Since all the artistes had to perforce be back-stage through the duration of the programme, it was decided to have a special video screening of the show for their benefit. Shekhawat offered to play host as he has a big screen TV at home. The date and time will be fixed once the video recording reaches us.

Bihari Milwani:
This was supposed to be the Annual Function of 2017. After two months we can have another Annual Function for 2018. We should start preparations right now so that the momentum is maintained and we can do still better by breaking our own record.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
The performance level of all participants can well be imagined by the mere fact that there was no room for the audience to even stand. All members of the Club deserve to be congratulated for their extraordinary performance. All discharged their responsibilities cheerfully. They all deserved that extra laugh this morning.

DAY 2448

Pic of the Week

IT'S THE TIME TO... DISCO!!!

A very, very, very nice Annual Day function. Everybody was happy and laughing. The audience enjoyed a lot. We have never seen this kind of programme in Lokhandwala. It was like a very-very big show and for free to the public. All members put in their best in making the function a great-great success that we will remember our whole life. 'Kadak Singh Jailor' looked a real jailor. Everyone looked awesome. Please print some photos and give to members if they want. Three cheers to Big Laaf! --Dilip Babani

ANNUAL FUNCTION 2018

The Stage: Act in progress

It was an occasion to let down your hair and have a blast – to legitimately celebrate madness, to showcase our talent (or the lack of it) and to bond with friends, old and new. Sitaram Hivarkar was there, as also Purushottam Sharma, besides of course, renowned professionals like bulbul tarang exponent Rashid Khan and Bollywood choreographer Nadira Khan and well-wishers like Muhammed Farooq Khan, Mala De and Harish Wadhwa.
It was also an occasion for Karun Sharma to step into the ‘japani’ shoes of Raj Kapoor, if only

Kiran Prakash

for a brief while and pull off a scintillating act as the adorable tramp. Likewise, Yusuf Rassiwala did a Balraj Sahni with the Zohra Jabeen number, sending the audience into raptures.

Karun Sharma as the 'tramp'

And the ladies simply had a ball, singing and dancing – be it Banoo Apa or Rafaaqat, Pushpa Gupta or Rakhi Bansi.
Nahid Khan, Kajal Babani, Geeta Latte, Bhaswati Bose and Rukhsana Khan also deserve special mention for playing their part on stage with rare conviction and elan.

Yusuf Rassiwala during the Zohra Jabeen act

Bringing them all together was the master of ceremonies, Kiran Prakash who compered the show for the evening.
It was also a lifetime opportunity for Shekhawat to throw his weight around as Kadak Singh, the jail warden (in khaki uniform top-to-toe) while Bijoy Gupta and his brothers

Shekhawat as jail warden, with his prisoners

in ‘crime’ – Kiran Prakash, Dilip Babani, Angad Singh and Nasir Putani Shah had to settle for the prisoner's garb.

Banjo exponent Rashid Khan 

The real show-stealer though was 84-year-old Angad Singh – all credit to Gupta for casting, conceiving, scripting and directing the three-part play.
A word of thanks to Kajal Babani for coordinating back-stage activities, Mumtaz Jahan for front-stage management and crowd control, Reena the Beautician for providing make-up

Banoo Apa

Rafaaqat

Pushpa Gupta

to the artistes and Arun Patil for taking care of the distribution of dinner boxes, together with Fahmida Khan and Zarina Khan. Last, but not the least, our gratitude also rests with Hemant Nair of Celebration Club and Mumbai Police for their support and encouragement in making the event a success.
Perhaps the best compliment was to come from Muhammed Farooq Khan who sent us this note late night: “It is 10:45pm, well past my sleeping time. I have just returned from the Annual Day function of Big Laaf. I cannot describe what a time I had. It will not be proper for me to single out an item or artiste for praise. Every act and every artiste was a precious gem in a navlakha haar, complementing and enhancing the beauty of one another. The effect was fantabulous.

Skit with Banoo Apa, Kajal and Bhaswati

Yusuf R felicitates Nadira and Rashid Khan

Thank you Big Laaf for making my day. Allow me to also thank the organisers, guest artiste Ustad Rashid Khan Saheb, choreographer Nadira and the make-up artiste (whose name unfortunately, I do not know) for doing a wonderful job. I am anxiously awaiting the next episode in 2019. Jio BIG LAFF!”

FINAL CURTAIN CALL

Kiran Prakash:
The Annual Function was a HUGE success. I thank everyone for the excellent performance on stage and hard work in co-ordinating the entire event this evening. I have no words to express my feelings. God bless you all.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
It was a well organised function. Preparations have been going on for a long time. Everyone put his best foot forward. And the result was exuberant.

Devraj Das:
Kiran Sir, Karun Sir, Yusuf Uncle, Angad Uncle, Dilip Sir, Shekhawat Uncle, Bose Uncle, Harish Uncle... as well as Banoo Apa, Bhashwati Ma'm, Geeta-di, Pushpa Ma'm, Kajal Ma'm and our dearest choreographer, Nadira-ji -- Thank you all for the wonderful performances. I experienced the bestest Annual Function of my life. Rashid Sir, I felt blessed to hear you live. Big Laaf Club, zindabaad!!!

Geeta Latte:
Meine life mein kabhi nahi socha tha ki main gaana gaaungi aur dance karungi, par maine kiya aur bahut achha laga. In sab chizon ka shrei jata hai to my dear Bhaswati Bose!

Rest Day

Members gather for a pep talk on tomorrow's function

The analogy of a family wedding went down well this morning when we were given a pep talk for the Annual Function tomorrow. “We ought to be prepared for all eventualities and as members of one big family, we must help one another in making the event a big success,” said Kiran Prakash.
“There are bound to be problems during the staging of the show,” reminded Yusuf Rassiwala, fresh from a trip to Surat. “But that does not mean we throw up our hands or sit quietly in a corner sulking. Simply carry on with your duties as though nothing has happened. Ultimately it is the reputation of our Club at stake.”
As planned earlier, the eve of the show had been earmarked as rest day. For more than a month rehearsals have been going on at a frenetic pace (more often than not, twice a day), leaving most of us sapped of energy. Many like Banoo Apa, Bhaswati Bose and Kajal Babani have been complaining of sore throat while a few are nursing joint pains and muscular cramps.

Yusuf Rassiwala gets us nankhatai from Surat

Others like Kiran Prakash are regularly taking energy supplements due to physical exhaustion.
They all need to rest. Yet, for some strange reason, a small group among them plans to rehearse this evening again to brush up their act. The running joke is that we would end up producing martyrs at this rate – more so, were the function to be postponed, leaving us with more days to practice.
But there is a positive side to this as well. For a group without previous stage experience, the upcoming show promises to be a huge confidence booster. An otherwise quiet and reticent Nasir Putani Shah seems to have suddenly found his voice. Some ladies, known to be equally meek and withdrawn, are now the most talkative in the Club.
The biggest transformation though, is being seen in the play actors who would be appearing with full make-up and costume for the first time. So proud are they of their new get-up that they have invited all their friends and relatives to the show tomorrow. One member made a block booking for nine yesterday. And he is not alone…

Bihari Milwani:
Tomorrow the programme should start with loud shout, “Banke Biharilal Kii Jai!” All the problems will disappear magically.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
A rest day is necessary to recoup energy. We have been working overtime to ensure that all loose ends are properly tied. Three cheers to every participant.

Last Lap

Geeta Latte helps in distributing dinner coupons for January 20

Zarina Khan (c) distributes til-gud laddu, a  Makar Sankranti delicacy

After days and weeks of planning and preparation for the Annual Function, we have now entered the last lap before actually mounting the stage on January 20. The final rehearsals are slated for the afternoon today. Tomorrow is rest day. And on the day-after, we should enjoy the fruits of our labour.
The ritual of distributing dinner coupons to all participants was undertaken today. According to Shekhawat's estimate, there would be around 25 guests of members for whom dinner boxes will also have to be provided. That apart, we would need to take care of a few complimentaries (non-members helping us in putting up the show) which would take the total up to nearly 75 dinner boxes.
Meanwhile, Kiran Prakash held a briefing this morning on the responsibilities of every member – both front-stage and back-stage (ref yesterday’s post). As the Master of Ceremonies (MC), he detailed the flow of activity once the curtains go up on January 20 and has accordingly allotted work to each person – the idea being to involve everyone in the Club.
Those front-stage and not performing have similarly been briefed on crowd control – situations where personal intervention would be necessary, blocking off sections of the audience and most importantly, ensuring that those working back-stage and performing are not disturbed by inquisitive outsiders. It was decided to post a gatekeeper, if necessary to prevent such elements from snooping around, particularly near the greenrooms. Duties have also been assigned for cleaning up after the show. No matter how hard we try to keep the area clean, littering is bound to happen. Besides, the props and costumes would have to be collected and accounted for. Our responsibilities would end only after the stage is dismantled and we are able to vacate the place in the same condition as we get it.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
The final touches were necessary to put everyone on the same page. This, having been completed, has helped clear the air of all doubts.

Check List

Thrashing out the nitty-gritties

A detailed check-list was today drawn up and discussed for the Annual Function the day after day-after-tomorrow. Right from the erection of the stage to the final distribution of dinner boxes, every activity were dealt with threadbare so as to keep everyone in the loop.
“Now is not the time to raise issues, but to provide solutions,” emphasized Kiran Prakash, who had convened the meeting this morning.
Broadly, it was decided to divide the group into back-stage ‘performers’ (comprising actors, dancers, singers, etc.) and front-stage ‘volunteers’ (for crowd control, technical support, guest management, etc.). Both sections would be mutually exclusive and there shall be no interaction between back-stage and front-stage for the duration of the show.
Another contentious issue was the distribution of food boxes. In order to check pilferage and ensure that every member gets his/her box, it has been decided to issue numbered coupons in advance and not entertain any last-minute requests. As on previous occasions, Arun Patil has been entrusted with the distribution of biryani boxes.
A surprise visitor at the meeting was Akhlesh Kumar who had agreed to provide the background music for the programme. It is not clear whether he is any longer interested as he had opted out of our ‘dry run’ last Sunday. It could well be an issue about his remuneration. But he isn’t saying so and promises to show up at our final rehearsal tomorrow. Let us see.