The Delhi Parsi Anjuman’s (DPA) second fund-raiser event at the Pirojsha Godrej Cultural Center Auditorium on March 21, 2017 featuring Pappa Avaj Hoi Che (Father is like that only), a Gujarati play from Bombay’s Dinyar Contractor Productions saw a full house.
Besides Contractor, a stage veteran of 52 years, the show featured leading stars from Bombay theater and Gujarati television like Dharmesh Vyas, Chitrak Shah, Jyuthika Vyas and Sharvi Mota. The proceeds of the show are to be used to augment the corpus of the Anjuman; donations were also sought for community welfare projects and for repairs to the 60-year-old Mengusi Dharamshala. The story of a father and daughter was interspersed with "dollops of Contractor’s much acclaimed comedy and satire,” mentions Feroza Jussawala who had organized a similar event last year (see "Fun way to raise funds,” Parsiana, February 7, 2016)
Above (from right): Yezad Kapadia, Feroza Jussawala, Dinyar Contractor (with mike) and other actors;
alongside (from far left): Fali Nariman, Dr Shernaz Cama, Dr Niloufer Shroff with Dhun Bagli;
audience with Zena and Soli Sorabjee, Anu Aga, Rati Kapadia, Diana Khambata, Yezad Kapadia in 1st row
The evening commenced with a welcome address from DPA president Yezad Kapadia who also presented mementoes to the cast and crew of the play. In her vote of thanks, Jussawala thanked the Gujarati community who had bought tickets in large numbers... the sponsors and donors for the show. After the play, the audience partook of a complimentary service of beverages sponsored by Pernod Ricard India. The audience included Supreme Court judge Rohinton Nariman, jurists Fali Nariman, Soli Sorabjee and Jamshed Cama, their spouses, industrialist and philanthropist Anu Aga, eye surgeons Drs Noshir and Cyrus Shroff, Dr Shernaz Cama and former industrialist Jamshed Desai, the write-up notes.
A press release credits designer Ashdeen Lilaowala, chairman of the social center committee of the Anjuman, as the organizer of the mega show. The fund-raiser event was co-sponsored by Tata Housing, Industrial Boilers Limited, Ambriona Cacao Blends and Aava Water. The evening concluded with a contributory Parsi dinner catered by Dhun Bagli.