IIAD’s course structure offers a holistic approach to how design functions as a practice - this entails a mandatory inter-disciplinary project at any point of a student’s final years in their respective specialization. 16 students from our batch opted for a live project with Jana Natya Manch that required us to construct a portable exhibition documenting the street theater group’s work since it’s inception in 1973.

This group comprised students from Communication Design and Interior Architecture Design departments who would progressively handle the content, visuals & narrative and structure & mobility of the exhibition respectively.

This was my second interaction with Janam, they had previously come to college to perform a play called ‘Katha Kalratri Ki’. I hadn’t seen theater like this before, the actors would huddle together around the performance space, going up to act out their part once their turn came. There was no backstage - this was new, but seemed similar to how some jatras were described in Rabindranath’s books. I remember talking to Aarti, our department head, about the play and wanting in on the project that had concerned this performance.