Art can influence the way one thinks, it speaks volumes and is one of the most effective ways to communicate the social issues we face in society from ancient times. With digital media saturating screens of various dimensions, people have become desensitized to news and messages.

Modern thandora project was started to break out of these screens and raise awareness on various social issues present in the society utilizing mixed art forms like wordless mimes, short skits, street plays, and flash mobs. The artform of street performance provides a way to capture the general public’s attention. It helps in connecting to the people much more directly and creates an immediate impact in their minds and hearts.

Street play/mimes/flash mobs are public performances, where the audience has not come prepared to watch a play, and people may not have much time on hand. These limitations determine the parameters of the plays. Hence, they are short. The exchange is close, direct and intimate and, to be more effective, usually loud and larger than life.

Both improvisational and scripted, Street Plays have the power to disrupt mundane routines, forcing people to confront the social issues and become aware of their effects in the society. While there are many ways of “spreading the word and raising awareness,” street plays are a grassroots manifestation that is not only educational, but have the power of word of mouth.

The radical nature of street art helps to convey the social messages in an effective manner that is retained by the viewer. After the performance, call-to action tactics are implemented where the audience are exposed to different ways through which they can become involved with the cause. This sows a seed of thought and a willingness to act and take a step forward so that they too can change the world. 

• “Thandora” is a drum used in pre-modern, Indian society to announce a message to the community. The drummer, or messenger, would walk down the street drumming a tune on the drum to announce a message. This process was referred to as ‘Thandora’, one that is fitting in our instance as Modern Thandora creates awareness among people about various issues in this fast world of multi-leveled communication today.
• Thuvakkam decided to take up the same format as the old street plays and thandora concept; Modify, mix and use them to our current generation’s advantage.
• Unlike other projects of Thuvakkam, Modern Thandora is a unique way used to reach the people directly and deliver the crux of the social issues that we are facing in the current world. This helps in raising awareness about these issues and also gets them involved in making a change.