Connecting the marginalised & privileged

Mumbaikars can look to understand the lives of people they never interacted mainly due to the various divisions that separate them. Complexity, an effort by YUVA, looks to give a platform to strike a conversation between such people to understand their contribution to city's growth and help them understand each other — mainlythe less privileged. In a press meet on Tuesday, the Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) announced a list of events that it will hold in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai between February 13-24 to get people together.

"Inequality stands out. As per a survey, only 1 per cent population owns over 70 percent of the country's wealth. There are many who are poor, but no one would strike a conversation with them. In such a scenario, what we try to do is that people get to know each other well who would never talk or be accepted to some otherwise. This is done through their art, singing, performances and films that will talk about their lives," said Roshni Nuggehalli, executive director at YUVA.

The festival also looks to organise debates, street plays, and city walks so that the city gets to see the many cities that are there within that people are not aware. To be part of these, one can check the details on yuvaindia.org.

"The festival will have a walk to Adivasipada so that people understand the need to preserve the local cultures by supporting the community to access the benefits of modernity," said Roshni. The group looks to get electricity and other comfort facilities of modernity that have eluded adviasis even as they have been asked to move out for development.

Through nukkad nataks, film festival and performances, the idea is that people get to know the talent and lives of many Mumbaikars. "There was a time when nukkad natak or street play and songs were regular in Mumbai. Now that is not possible as a source of living. What we do is that give a salary so that such artists can sustain and perform," said Ajit Dayal, who is supporting Complexity.