New Delhi : Decoration done, tables set, food in place… even when the last minute checks are done the couple celebrating their first anniversary is left troubled as their servant goes missing. The hassle and gossip which builds up was showcased today at Yuva Natya Samaroh, in the light hearted comedy play, Khusar Phusar, the Hindi adaptation of American play Rumors by Neil Sioman.

Organized under the ideology of ‘amateurs of today – masters tomorrow’ by Department of Art, Culture and Languages, Government of Delhi along with Sahitya Kala Parishad, the festival will culminate on February 21st.

The second day of the festival connected with Delhi audience. The play directed by Kuljeet Singh opens an apartment who invited friends for dinner party to celebrate their first anniversary. One by one guests arrive but there is no host. A gun shot is heard. An atmosphere of suspense and fear prevails. Comic complications arise when, given everyone’s upper class status, they decide they need to do everything possible to conceal the evening’s events from the local police and the media.

“We are happy to receive such a great response. It is even more overwhelming as we foresee this festival to give a platform to the amateurs to showcase their talent. We have got together plays of different genres which present different diversities in a compact, seamless format that will appeal to contemporary audiences, while maintaining the essence of the ancient tradition,” said Mr. J P Singh, Assistant Secretary, Sahitya Kala Parishad.

Kuljeet Singh, who is an Assistant Professor in the department of English, University of Delhi  is the creative director of Atelier. Besides his teaching profession, he is practicing theatre since his college days and his interest lies in Performance and Film Studies. His vast experience of performing includes several theatre productions under the direction of M.K. Raina, Avtar Sahni, Surendra Sharma, Roysten Abel, Anna-Helena McLean and VK Sharma, as well as acting in Shonali Bose’s National Award winning film AMU, Imtiaz Ali’s ROCKSTAR and Sharad Nigam’s INTERVAL.

He has adapted and directed more than a dozen full length productions for Atelier Theatre: Self scripted Goodbye Blue Sky, Barrie Keeffe’ SUS, Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, Manu Bhandari’s Mahabhoj, Neil Simon’s Laughter On The 23rd Floor & Rumors (as “Khusar Phusar”), Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story, Badal Sircar’s Baaki Itihas and Saari Raat . His magnum opus Goodbye Blue Sky was awarded by Sahitya Kala Parishad in 2006 and has been performed in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkatta. He has also directed half a dozen productions for college students and more than 20 one-act plays for different schools in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

The festival will mesmerize Delhi audience every evening 6:30pm onwards at Shri Ram Centre. The festival that kick started on February 11th will bid adieu on February 21s t, excluding February 14, 16 and 17th.

While the third day will witness Bara Natakiya Kaun, which is written by Avinash Chander Mishra and directed by Prakash Jha.