Navsari: ‘Team Muskuraahat’ is a recently established initiative aimed at saving victims of tobacco addiction, by employing the unique style of blending art and social service. The six core crusaders of this nearly one-year old venture – Yezdi Contractor, Monaz Contractor, Aspi Sipoy, Kashmir Vakhariya, Parvin Gandhi and Firoz Kapadia – have already successfully assisted fifty two individuals in quitting the mortal tobacco vice. Their modus operandi includes hosting entertainment programmes, like singing popular songs from old Hindi movies and plays, and during the course of the program, a doctor provides detailed information about the hazards of tobacco chewing, and appealing as well as motivating the addicts present in the audience, to quit. Encouraged by this, some vouch to beat the habit there and then, as team leader, Yezdi notes their details and later establishes contact with them and their family members and helps them bond and get together to give up the addiction.

So far, Team Muskuraahat (TM) has organised five musical programmes of which two have been at the Tata Theatre of Navsari and three at nearby villages of Pathri, Vada and Singod. These programmes are conducted for free with TM bearing all the expenses. TM is supported by Sargam Music Academy’s Ahmed Shaikh as their singing mentor and renowned playwright, actor and director – Piyush Bhatt.

The program held on February 25, 2017, at the Tata Theatre honoured and felicitated 37 people who had, as a result of this initiative, given up their tobacco habit. These individuals were awarded a certificate of appreciation and a memento. The programme was held in two parts with members singing old Hindi movies on karaoke tracks, anchored by Khushbu Desai. The second half was a thought-provoking drama titled ‘Chello Parsi’ (The Last Parsi) written by Piyush Bhatt and directed by actor, director and music director Rumi Baria. ‘Chello Parsi’ represents the cry of the writer lamenting the rapid decline of his benevolent and lovely Parsi Community. The writer imagines, two hundred years from now, there are only two Parsis left in the world – Sohrab and Kersi (played by Rumi Baria and Piyush Bhatt), with Sohrab giving an interview to an International Network mourning the death of his friend Kersi, just a few hours ago. The interviewers ask insensitive questions that trigger the audience to reflect and ponder about this issue.

The Muskuraahat initiative is sponsored and supported by the WZO Trust Funds and members of its Local Committee, Navsari. Team Muskuraahat expresses gratitude to the Trustees of WZO Trust Funds, especially Bachi and Dinshaw Tamboly for their support.