Mad about theatre

Witty, strong-headed and extremely confident, 23-year-old Firdous Abdul Majeed opens up about her love for theatre and the art of living

It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your professional background is, what matters is your ability to tell a story either through a strong script or through your characters. Now, in order to bring to life the essence of the story and the vision of the writer, one needs proper guidance. You may assume that only an older person, not necessarily an experienced one, may well suit the role of a director. But, and there’s always a ‘but’, we are glad to believe otherwise.

Firdous Abdul Majeed, is one such exception. Just 23, she has quite an imposing personality. Born and brought up in Jeddah, she moved to Hyderabad after her seventh grade. She finished school at Nasr and went on to get a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from St. Mary’s College. She describes herself as a dramatic person and that the art of theatrics comes naturally to her. “I started toying with the idea of drama and theatre when in college and I began pursuing it step by step. It’s been about four and a half years since I started my own ‘little theatre production firm’ called D-Fir dramatics (pronounced as D for Dramatics),” she explains.

Contrary to popular assumption that people are involved in theatre because they love the spotlight, Firdous got drawn to theatre because of the stage.“I fell in love with the power of the stage and how it could be used to tell real stories to people. The medium of interaction and the chemistry between the storyteller and the audience is just simply addictive,” she says.

An important script for her is one which is relevant to the audience and about situations that she feels strongly about. “My relationships have taught me that every script we work on changes a little bit of how we perceive our lives. These scripts are mirrors of how we actually are and what the truth is – it’s just cushioned because of the distance of the stage – but it’s a polite way of showing people the mirror,” she remarks.

If only art could pay, all of us would have retired by now but sadly it doesn’t and so Firdous has a full-time job. She has been a part of the advertising industry for the past two years now and is also assisting a friend with his company by managing the content and planning their marketing strategies for them. That really is just a typical day for her.

Apart from a regular day’s chaos, she loves travelling alone and doing yoga. “I think it’s the most peaceful way of connecting with your body and mind. There is so much noise around us that we forget how important it is to tune in and relax and most importantly breathe. Yoga, for me, is a way to create a healthier environment inside so I am equipped with dealing with noise outside,” she explains.

Her future plan is to retire at 40 and travel across India to mobilise funds to help Indian women who suffer from various human right injustice.

The CV

First Job: Launched an e-store

Motto: Be grateful for what you have.

Inspiration: To have a beginner’s mind and be consistent to reach your goal.

Last movie seen: Moneyball

Last book you read: 5 people you meet in heaven.

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Category: City, Profiles