Find Surabhi on Facebook

Hi Baba,

Theatre has always intrigued me, but never had I thought I will be sitting in a class for days with a batch of an absolutely crazy gang, having so much fun, and learning the nuances from the maestro—Ratan. Though, with a career in learning, I should know how adult learning works, but it is a treat to watch someone implement adult learning principles and make learning fun and retainable every day.

From Day 1, it has been a revelation. After every class, I have tried to use different verbs to describe my experience—from FUN to fulfilling to liberating to therapeutic, and the pool is expanding. Attending the workshop, listening to Ratan narrate examples and teach us technicalities of acting, many a times it seems that the experience is bringing you a step closer towards becoming a human who is humane. It feels like a mini philosophy class sometimes. Learning to break your inhibitions, still making sure that you treat each other with utmost respect; becoming children again and doing crazy no-brainer activities, which have aplenty to teach on hindsight; appreciating every trait (gestures, voice, mannerism and what not) of your fellow beings and learning to observe and ‘appreciate’; living for the moment and being spontaneous; allowing yourself to fall, freely, and in turn, learning to trust the wonderful beings around you; speaking without speech; seeing without sight; and most importantly, living the adage that practice makes you perfect, thus, learning to improvise, every time—there is so much that Ratan has unraveled, so (at least visibly) effortlessly.

With the grading day approaching, Ratan will soon let the little birdies (or should I say ‘the Dumb Ducks’) fly out in the open after putting all his faith and hard work in them. Alas, the celebration and revelry will culminate soon, but I really hope that this experience has turned a new leaf in us towards becoming individuals who can express, emote and ACT; who are a better package than what had arrived at Misfit. Thanks a ton, Baba for doing what you do—so beautifully!