Lights, Camera, Action!
Article by Priya Mistry, Corona:
What made the PASC Diwali Banquet so intriguingly different this year? Perhaps walking into an unfamiliar location brought a slight discomfort after the many years at our familiar Bombay Club restaurant, or maybe seeing very familiar faces in not so familiar performances gave this night a different glow. No matter what perspective you came with the night of October 25th, there was definitely a new buzz traveling among the “Sal Mubaraks” and “Happy Diwali” wishes. If the food wasn’t up to standards, it was safe to say that the main entertainment exceeded the standards we set year after year.
It was a dream come true to see PASC take our annual banquet down a new path. For once, the Diwali Banquet became a Diwali Show with not only dances, but skits, comedy sketches, and a beautiful stage to encompass it all. For all that participated the anxiety was heart-wrenching, and for those seated for the ride, a curiosity for the unexpected was boiling inside. However, no emotions could compare to those of Jayant Mistry, who took the challenge of directing a dream into reality. Jayant, along with Shirish Mistry, took our fellow PASC members on a journey through Bollywood flashbacks. The Hollywood table décor tied in well with the theme, further emphasizing the “show” aspect of the night. Instead of the usual queue of performers, Jayant and Shirish creatively called for the next act within the dialogue of their skit, making each performance flow one after another. At times the transitions weren’t smooth as butter, but the scuffs here and there were understandable. Overall, the technical aspect of this amateur show was an effort worth recognizing.
The large participation by our very own “PASC parents” did a successful job in keeping the audience thoroughly surprised. Quick costume changes here and there by the men and a cute Hawaiian flare from the woman gave the show an added freshness. It was good to see new faces on the dance floor, but seeing the young crowd take a shot at the songs of the previous generation was definitely a treat for a good portion of the audience. The show even took the range of performance to a new level, adding musical performances in the form of the violin and vocals to the table. It was surly a risky experiment, but I believe that it was worth the shot. And, although the show is open to criticism, the ambience of the night really let out a vibe of satisfaction. Let us hope that this is just the beginning of many surprises to come for PASC.
