The cries of invitation reverberate in the air, as an army clad in Kurtas- green, black, red, blue, with tambourines in hand and fire in their eyes sing and unabashedly dance about in the streets. They laugh, cheer, make you turn around in awe, clap in amazement, sometimes shed a tear or two in appreciation.

But most importantly, they shatter your pre-conceived notions of the world.

That's a street theatre society for you. The University of Delhi—an important cultural hub and the launching pad of the nation’s finest artists, politicians, and social thinkers is also home to a number of street theatre societies. Belonging to their respective colleges, these societies pen and perform a fresh piece of Nukkad Naatak each year, based on pertaining issues in the country. Each 20-minute socio-political saga is filled to the brim with powerful histrionics and soulful percussion, backed by months of research that bring to the forefront a relevant social argument.

As these plays compete with each other throughout the Fest Season, one expects a hostile and cutthroat atmosphere in the collegiate theatre circuit. Contrary to it, The Delhi University Theatre Circuit is akin to a family that celebrates and heartily venerates the spirit of street theatre, irrespective of the colour of the other artist’s Kurta. Opposing teams urge each other on, by singing and dancing to the other’s call songs and jingles, giving impetus and confidence to those inside the periphery.

From shuffling performance slots, to holding a flex atop the head of percussionists performing in the rains- the kith and kin do it all. From the multitude of street plays that won accolades and hearts, many of them centred on the issue of the rising saffron nationalism, the likes of which are Saare Jahaan Se Accha by Hindu College, and Situation Under Control by Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology. Plays like Main Kashmir, Aur Aap? Main Manipur by Gargi College, Kuchh Bhi by IP College, and Thoda Dard Hi Sahi by SBSC Morning were popular among the audience.

A by Sri Venkateshwara College that dealt with the normality of sexuality was one of the most popular plays. Along with a healthy competition in the Circuit, the societies are not just restricted to performing in glamorous fests, but regularly stage public performances in busy markets, parks, metro stations and public places to take their or issue to the heart of the city.

As artists, they realise that street theatre is a theatre of protest, of raising their voices against anything that challenges their freedom of expression. During the recent Ramjas fiasco, when attempts were made by those in power to silence any voices of dissent, the DUTC had stood united, in solidarity.

As the theatre societies also organised a march in the campus to do their bit for the Fight Back DU movement, and continued performing their plays, some of which dealt with issues of hyper-nationalism, saffron vigilantism and oligarchy. Whenever the voices of those in black kurtas have been silenced, they have stricken back with full force, because “the show must go on”.

An ocean of socially mindful talents, the DUTC has been the launching pad of stalwarts like Amitabh Bacchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Lillette Dubey, Imtiaz Ali, Satish Kaushik and the likes.

Above all, this platform is a mélange of politically and socially aware college goers, who have the courage to go out there in the streets, to shout, whisper, laugh, rave, cry and educate the masses on the most pressing issues.