This is no laughing matter

It was exactly what it was meant to be—an organised mess. Aimed at drawing public attention to the pothole-ridden roads in Kochi, a group of clowns on Monday organised a ‘colourful protest’ to mourn the sad ‘demise’ of the agencies entrusted to repair the damaged roads. Instead of shouting, the protesters used squeaky toys, whistles and laughter to run the show.

The event, attended by celebrities like directors Ranjith Shankar and Aashiq Abu and musician Bijibal, was staged in the form of a street-play near the Edappally signal junction.

The 45-minute long satirical skit was enacted by clowns, who came from the city to the venue to pay homage to the deceased government authority. The clowns also ridiculed the inaction by the city corporation and other agencies with regard to fixing a problem that put the common man at the receiving end.

The message they wanted to share was that the authorities looked silly, said Gireesh Menon, one of the organisers. “We are dressed like clowns but you are the ones that look funny,” he added.

Organised by the Pothujanam Theatres, the play also gave an opportunity for the people turning up to share their experience of travelling along the city roads.

Meanwhile, the organisers admitted that the show was not going to have much of an impact among the general public. “Most of the onlookers were amused to see our clown attire. We were expecting it and are not disappointed at all, since it is sure to ignite more discussions on the need for better roads,” he said.