­A BK Block drama on October 7 addressed one of the biggest problems facing society today — mobile addiction.

Digital Mayajaal, a children’s play directed by Swati Ghosh, depicted how a schoolgirl, Mini, played by Ishani Bhattacharya, is neglected by her parents, who claim to be busy but are really just doomscrolling on social media. Mini turns to the internet for help with her studies but soon becomes addicted to reels.

When she fails her examination, the shock leaves her depressed and ill. It is her doctor, played by Shrestha Ghosh, who delivers the message to the audience about using apps responsibly. “Both children and parents must avoid this addiction. Focus on real, not reel, friends,” said the doctor.

“My favourite app is YouTube, where I watch comedy videos, and my mother often has to ask me to stop,” confessed Shrestha, a Class VI student. “While delivering the sermon on stage, I knew what I was saying was right, but I also knew how difficult it is to achieve.”

The apps – Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. – were personified by actors wearing masks with the apps’ logos around their necks.

Ananya Mukherji, who played Instagram, said: “I don’t have an Instagram account as I’m not old enough, but I do find YouTube irresistible. I know these apps waste our time and stop us from spending it with friends.”

To avoid using microphones on stage, the actors mouthed their lines while voice artists, seated in the front row, delivered them. One such voiceover artist was Shibanwita Chandra, a B.Sc student, who admitted that she sometimes struggled to stop using apps once she opened them.

“I occasionally check the parental control and digital well-being settings on my phone and see that WhatsApp and YouTube are my most frequently used apps,” said the girl who also celebrated her 21st birthday that day.

“The settings reveal that I use my phone for an average of five to six hours a day, and though part of it is for academic purposes, it’s still too much. I set app timers to alert me when I’ve spent a certain amount of time on them, but find myself manually extending the time limit, only to keep scrolling,” Shibanwita said.

A few days after the play, she said her phone usage had indeed dropped, as she was busy. “The real test will be now, after the Pujas,” she laughed.

The play was written and directed by Swati Ghosh, who felt the need to do so as we are all at risk of mobile addiction. “Post-pandemic, children depend on their phones a lot for studies, but it is important not to fall victim to them.”