The story follows the life of a youngster forced into the expectation of a heterosexual marriage before leaving for the US. However, he is navigating a secret relationship with his male partner. “It’s not about rejection. It’s about how the older generation forces their thinking on to the next generation. The family’s jokes, comments, little nudges and complete denial of his reality remind the protagonist that his life isn’t fully his own. That is the knot the title refers to and it tightens in silence,” said Khaladkar.The production was a massive collaborative effort with 50 students working behind the scenes towards set design, costumes, props and technical operations. Only 16 performed on stage as per the competition rules.Khaladkar said, “The production took around six months to take its final shape. The entire team, on stage and off, lived and breathed the story which was close to their hearts. It is all about the struggle that GenZ goes through to try to level with GenX. We wanted the audience to feel the tension, to remember the stories of kids in their own families and to confront how love and acceptance are often tangled up in fear. It’s a story that is uncomfortable, but necessary. That’s what theatre should do.”While Aatlya Gaathi dominated the finale, the competition also brought together a kaleidoscope of talent from across Maharashtra — including Lageen by Vidyabharati College of Amravati, Soyrik by Arts, Commerce and Science College of Nagthane, Astitva by Shivaji University of Kolhapur, Khodala Fandicha Aadhaar by Devagiri College drama department of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kashtacha Khel by Vasantrao Naik Govt Institute of Arts and Social Sciences of Nagpur.
