AMU DRAMA CLUB 4.77

History

Although the founder of this institution Sir Syed Ahmad Khan has initiated a Drama Troupe of MAO College in 1886, but the University Drama Club (UDC) was permanently established in the year 1966 in the Kennedy House. Earlier the interested students and different cultural societies of halls of residence, had seldom staged different production in Strachey Hall and Maris Hall. But after the completion of Kennedy Auditorium, and creation of General Education Centre, a new era of theatre had started in these beautiful buildings of Kennedy House under the patronage of some of the stalwarts like, Prof Muneebur Rehman, Prof Sajda Zaidi, Prof Zahida Zaidi, Prof Zauqi, Prof Gurudas Bhattacharya, Prof Habib Rasool, Mr. Iftekhar Alam Khan, Prof M. A. Alvi to name a few.

Some of the best known productions of this Drama Club are, Julius Caesar, Uncle Mania, Agra Bazaar, Kitab ka Kafan, Ek tha Ghulam, Darwaze Khol do, Shatranj ke Mohre, Khamosh Adalat Jari Hai, Naya Tamasha, Sakharam Binder, Rang Nagri, Panchhi Aise Aate Hain, The Bear, Inspector Matadeen Chaand Per, Bhanwar, Khander, Raah, Zero Hours, Toba Tek Singh, Batwara, Chaddi Pahen ke Phool Khila Hai, Marte Dam Tak, Chacha Chakkan, Khoobsurat Bala, Pagla Ghoda, Aseer-e-Hirs, Karbal Katha, Begum ki Billi, Aiyen ek Akhat, Amanat, Big B, Letter to Gandhi, Taj Mahel ka Udghatan, Aao Kahani Kahein, Laal Basta, besides productions of countless skits, mimicries, mono acting and mimes.

University Drama Club has produced some well known artists of stage, film and television. Like Habeeb Tanvir, Qadir Ali Baig, Irfan Panjatan, Surekha Seekri, Rehman, Iftekhar, Begum Para, Nigar Sultana, Naseeruddin Shah, Dilip Tahil, Wassem Ullah Khan, Basha Ahmad, Asifuzzaman Khan, Abu Qamar Siddiqui, Abdul Aleem Khan, Amir Abbas, Parvaiz Alam, Afroz Taaj, Anees Ahmad, Sarwar Raees, Maqbool Mehmood , Zoya Zaidi, Arif Rizvi, Saleem Shah, Riaz Mehdi, Siraj Mehdi, Faisal Ali Khan, Irfan Khan, Mujeeb Khan, Imraan Khan, Anubhav Sinha, Iqbal Khan, Saeed Alam, Shafiur Rahman, F. S. Sherani, Mujeeb Akhtar, Mujeeb Jalali, Mohammad Azam, Mujeebur Rahman, Salim Jalali, Kashif Khan, Yousuf Jamal, Nasir Bilgirami, Suhail Naqvi, Appal Singh, Roomana Israr, Seemi Hasan. Suhaib Qazi, Zaman Habib, Madiurrahman Khan Sherwani, Zafar Khan, Haider, Fazal Waris Khan, S. Mohtashim Reza, Arman Rasool Faridi, Ishrat Jameel, M Aslam, Kamraan Khursheed, Meraj Ahmad, Mateebur Rahman, Sarfaraz Khan, Inayat Ullah, Ankit Malik, Talha Abbasi, Amit Kumar Singh.

Mentor

Dr. Vibha Sharma (Associate Professor, Department of English) – Vibha Sharma is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Aligarh Muslim University. Her areas of specialization and interest are Literary Theory, Modern Drama and Postcolonial Studies, Theatre Studies, Translation Studies and Cultural Studies. She is a Visiting Faculty to Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. She contributed to Asian Theatre Encyclopedia published from the UK.

President

Arman Rasool Faridi (Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science) – Arman Rasool Faridi is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science. He has more than 15 years of teaching experience. He obtained MCA degree from AMU in 1996 and is President of India Gold Medal Awardee for his overall achievements. He is also working as Asst. Dean Students Welfare as well as Coordinator, AMU CCTV Surveillance System. He has been closely associated with the literary and cultural life of the university and served as President of various clubs of the General Education Centre. He has also served as the secretary of the University Drama Club during his student days.

Secretary (2016-17)

Mohammad Talha Abbasi (B.A. Final Year)

Activities

One act play
Skit
Mono Acting
Stand up comedy
Story telling
Full length play
Mime
Monologue
Mimicry
Street play
Key Achievements

Declared National Champion in the National Youth Festival at Akola (Maharashtra) on 29 Jan1988. This youth festival was organized by AIU. AMU Drama Club has presented Short Play Bhanwar, Skit Naye Kiran, and a pantomime Piped Piper.

Won, North Zone championship in the North Zone Youth Festival, organized by Associations of Indian Universities (AIU) New Delhi on 24th Nov 1988.

Recorded and Aired on All India Radio, A Radio Play “Na Khuda” . The first Radio Play recorded by the University Drama Club.

Won accolades for the play Raah in Nazranae Awadh in 1987 at Ravindralay Lucknow (U.P).

The Same play Bhanwar was recorded and telecast by the Doordarshan on 27 Oct 1987. The first ever play recorded and aired from AMU.

Won National Championship in Theatre Art in All India theater festival, “Nazranae Awadh” 27th Oct 1986. The Play “Bhanwar” has bagged three awards, Best play,Best Director (Shafiurrahman khan), Best Actor (Mujeeb Jalali), Best Writer (F S Sherani).

Won Best Actor Jury Mention award in Josh Vihangam 2014 in all India theatre fest held at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Performed play “Pagla Ghoda” in a realistic form for the first time in the history of UDC at CEC lawn in march 2016.

Performed two different Pento – Mime in 44th North Zone VC Meet.

Won 3rd prize in skit ‘Democracy’ at 31st North Zone Youth Fest organised by AIU held at Ludhiana Agriculture University, Ludhiana.

Performed a street play at “Rang Mohatsav-2016” an International Theatre Fest organised by National School of Drama, New Delhi.

Won 3rd Best Production for the play ‘Lal Basta’ in “Josh Vihangam” 2016, an all India Theatre Fest organised by Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Won Best Director in “Josh Vihangam” 2016, an all India theatre Fest organised by Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Won Best Script in “Josh Vihangam” 2016 an all India theatre Fest organised by Jamia Millia Islamia. New Delhi.

Drama club Perform his first ticketed show in Sri Ram Centre of play Karbal Katha in 2016.

Got invitation to perform a full length play ‘Karbal Katha at Ghalib Institute, New Delhi in 2015.

Won 3rd Prize in skit ‘Museum 2050’ in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2010 held at Jhansi.

Won Consolation Prize in skit ‘Aishwarya Rai..Aai Hai!’ in National Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2005 held at Nagpur.

Won 3rd Prize in play ‘Ek Koshish’ in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2005, Rohtak.

Got invitation to perform two plays; Bhanwar at Habitat Centre, New Delhi in 2004.

Performing at Rajkiya Krishi Udyog Pradarshini on a regular basis since 2004.

Won 3rd Prize in skit in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2003 held at Bundelkhand University, Jhansi.

Got special invitation from Universities Grants Commission to perform ‘Aishwarya Rai..Aai Hai!’ in its Golden Jubilee Celebration in 2003.

Won 2rd Prize in mime in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2001.

Won 1st Prize in mime in National Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2001 held Banaras.

Won 2rd Prize in skit in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2000 held at Rohtak.

Won 3rd Prize in mimicry in North Zone Youth Fest organized by AIU in 2000 held at Rohtak.

Won Best Skit Award in 1984 in Jan Natya Manch competition held in Allahabad.

Theatre Championship – North Zone Championship in theatrical Event in North Zone Youth Festival organized by Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi in 1987 followed by National Championship at Akola (Maharashtra) for the play ‘Bhanwar’, Skit ‘Nayi Kiran’ & Mime ‘Pied Piper’. Written by Dr F S Sherani & Directed by Dr Shafi ur Rahman Khan.

The club won the 1987 North zone championship, and the 1988 National championship at Akola, Maharashtra. Again in 1988, it won the national championship ‘Nazarene Awadh’, at Lucknow.

Khurram Zuberi, a member of UDC was selected to represent India in the Indian festival in Russia.

Past Secretaries

Mr. Sharifur Rahman : 1966-1967
Mr. Dawar Faheem : 1967-1968
Mr. Maqbool Mahmood : 1968-1969
Mr. Abu-qamar-Siddiqui : 1969-1970
Mr. Humayun Kamal : 1970-1971
Mr. Riaz Mehdi : 1971-1972
Mr. Manzar Jamal Siddiqui : 1972-1973
Mr. Amir Abbas : 1973-1974
Mr. Afroz Taj : 1974-1975
Mr. Iqbal Ahmad : 1975-1976
Mr. Asif Naqvi (joint secretary) : 1975-1976
Mr. Parvez Alam : 1976-1977
Mr. Anis Ahmad Khan : 1977-1978
Mr. Siraj Mehdi : 1978-1979
Miss. Saba Naheed : 1979-1980
Mr. Qaiser Jamal : 1980-1981
Mr. Saffi-ur-Rahman : 1985-1988
Mr. F.S. Sherani : 1988-1989
Mr. Ali Mohtishim Raza : 1989-1990
Mr. Kamran Khursheed : 1990-1991
Mr. Fazal Waris Khan : 1991-1992
Mr. Badiuz Zaman : 1992-1993
Mr. Anwar Aqeel : 1993-1994
Mr. Ahmad Ashraf Babu (E.P.) : 1994-1995
Mr. Arman Rasool Afridi : 1995-1996
Mr. Zafar Khan : 1996-1997
Mr. Tabir Kalam : 1997-1998
Mr. S. Akbar Jameel : 1998-1999
Mr. Jamal Waris Khan : 1999-2000
Mr. Amjad Ali Khan : 2000-2001
Mr. Rahat Ali Khan : 2001-2002
Miss. Rahat Ali Khan : 2001-2002
Mr. Faraz Haider : 2003-2004
Mr. Mohammad Johaid : 2004-2005
Mr. Naved Khan : 2005-2006
Mr. Meraj Ahmad : 2006-2007
Mr. Burhan Uddin Shibli : 2007-2008
Mr. Faraz Siddique : 2009-2010
Mr. Mohd. Nadeem Khan : 2010-2011
Mr. Asif Parvez : 2011-2012
Mr. Faiz Ahmad : 2012-2013
Mr. Arij Kidwai : 2013-2014
Mr. Shahrukh Khan (Student Convener) 2014-2015
Mr. Ankit Malik : 2015-2016
Mr. Mohd. Talha Abbasi : 2016-contd.