AMRITA, A SUBLIME LOVE STORY
Amrita Pritam: she did it her way
"Amrita, A Sublime Love Story" brings into focus the perpetual mystic love of Amrita Pritam for Sahir Ludhianvi, as well as her feelings for her husband Pritam, and her partner, Imroze.
By Deepa Mohan
31 Aug 2011, Citizen Matters
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It is always difficult to deal with the subject of a person who has passed away very recently. One is always worried that the perspective of time and distance may be lacking...so any work dealing with such a person is something very interesting and intriguing. It was with this spirit that I went to watch “Amrita, A Sublime Love Story”, produced by K K Kohli, staged by Impresario Asia, a troupe from New Delhi, at Rangashankara.
In this production, M S Sathyu, the noted film-maker, handles a play about Amrita Pritam, the noted poet and literatteur. Written by Danish Iqbal, this play brings into focus the perpetual mystic love of Amrita Pritam for Sahir Ludhianvi, poet and Hindi film lyricist, as well as her feelings for her husband Pritam, and her later partner, Imroze. This play reciprocates his earlier play 'Sahir', written by Pramila le Hunt.
Amrita’s personal life was not a conformist, traditional one; In 1935, she married Pritam Singh, son of a leading hosiery merchant of Lahore's Anarkali bazaar. In 1960, Amrita Pritam left her husband for poet Sahir Ludhianvi (Abdul Hayee). The story of this love is depicted in her autobiography, Rasidi Ticket. When another woman intruded into the love life of Sahir, Amrita found solace in the companionship of the renowned artist and writer Imroz. She spent the last forty years of her life with Imroz.
The play brings to life the characters of Amrita, Sahir, their friend Sajjad, and Imroz, with the character of Pritam being referred to in absentia. Amrita’s children are protaganists, too, with only her daughter being shown on stage. In an echo of the television serial, "Mahabharat", Time, or Waqt, is a protagonist in the play, talking to Amrita about her life and times.
The production being staged on a Friday probably had something to do with the fact that the hall was only about half full; but the members of the audience certainly got a fine production. Both Hindi and Punjabi were used in the play, with the Punjabi being mostly the quoted works of Amrita. The play skillfully brought out the intertwining of her life, love and talent. The dialogue was very natural, and well delivered by the cast.
The members of the cast (Lavlin as Amrita, Vijay Nagyal as Sahir, Mangat Ram as Waqt, Kidar Nath as Imroze, Sanjeev Kumar as Sajjad, Salim Zaidi as Harkishan, Pratima Virmani as Doosri Amrita, and Jayati Virmani as Kandla) proved themselves to be seasoned actors, and save a couple of fumbles on the dialogue, acted out their parts with great credibility.
Scenes evoking well-documented incidents in the love of Amrita and Sahir, such as the one where, while attending a press conference, Amrita wrote his name hundreds of times on a sheet of paper....or the one where, after Sahir’s departure, Amrita would smoke the cigarette butts left by him....were beautifully enacted.
The friendship and the mutual raillery between Sahir, Sajjad and Harkishan also evoked a lot of smiles to the audience. Of course, when Sahir’s well-known lines were quoted, the audience was mesmerized by the beauty of the words. The singing (by Mannu Kohil, Manish, Neeru Dubey, Pratima Virmani, Mangat Ram, Mukesh, and Nishad) and the music by Ras Bihari Dutt added considerably to the effect.
The set, lights and costumes were also done by the director M S Sathyu. The lighting was executed flawlessly, and the costumes were fairly simple, requiring very little shifting of stage props. The costumes, by Buntie were not exactly period, but evoked, pretty well, the Punjab of Amrita’s days, and were authentic enough. A change of dupattas was effectively used to show the different stages of Amrita’s affection and love.
The only drawbacks I could see in the play were some time lags between scenes sometimes, and as I remarked earlier, just a couple of fumbles in the dialogue. However, these did not detract very much from the production. I also did feel that Lavlin, though she has a mobile, expressive face, came across as a little too coy and arch for my taste, but that, of course, is my personal perception. Also, the play always seemed to depict her as considerate, generous and full of good qualities...surely, I felt, in a woman who lived such a non-conformist life, acknowledging a few warts would have added to the credibility. However, since Lavlin knew Amrita personally and was called a “soul-mate” by her, no doubt her reading of Amrita is likely to be more authentic than my perception of her!
The play is narrated mostly in Amrita’s own words, and though not all of us could follow the Punjabi, the words of her poetry were still moving enough to make a success of the play. In all, it was a very good play indeed, and I do hope the second show on the 28th of August had a house full audience to enjoy this production from Delhi.⊕
Deepa Mohan
31 Aug 2011
Deepa Mohan is a freelance writer who fell in love with Bangalore when first she moved from Chennai, and has been both enthused and worried over the rapidly changing city. She is also a Bangalore metroblogger.
Friday, December 23, 2011
From QuestionsandAnswers.com
Plays and Dramatic Productions on Faiz
1.'Sheeshon ka Maseeha' by Omer Khawaja and Shabana Azmi.
2.'Dard Aayega Dabe Paon' by Sheela Bhatiya.
3.'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' written by Danish Iqbal and staged by Impresario Asia. This multi-media Stage Production is being premiered at Sri Ram centre, New Delhi on 11th November, 2011. This Play is basically a Celebration of the Faiz's Poetry and featuring events from the early part of his life, particularly the events and incidents of pre-partition days which shaped his life and ideals. Directed by K K Kohli this musical Production featured Artists like Shamir Abadan, Jaishri Sethi, Dr Naseem, Izhar, Minhaj, Prateek Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna and Amit Bajaj in lead roles. This script is the first part of Faiz trilogy written by Danish Iqbal at the occasion of Faiz Centenary Celebrations.
4. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' - A dramatized reading of Faiz's letter and letters written by his wife Alys. This Production was initially done at the start of his birth centenary celebrations at India Habitat Center, New Delhi by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza. Later the same Production, again by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza, was the concluding item at the JNU Urdu Festival, under the aegis of Wings Cultural Society. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' was also done at Amritsar Faiz Festival organized by Preet Ladi, at Punjab Natshala, Amritsar, on 6th October, 2011. This time it was done by Suchitra Gupta and Danish Iqbal.
5. 2011 Drama Festival of Delhi Urdu Academy is basically devoted to Productions about Faiz. Apart from 'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' and 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' this Festival will also feature Plays by Peirreot's Troupe on Faiz, namely 'Jo Dil Pe Guzarti Hai'.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/faiz-ahmed-faiz#ixzz1hNkGjabF
1.'Sheeshon ka Maseeha' by Omer Khawaja and Shabana Azmi.
2.'Dard Aayega Dabe Paon' by Sheela Bhatiya.
3.'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' written by Danish Iqbal and staged by Impresario Asia. This multi-media Stage Production is being premiered at Sri Ram centre, New Delhi on 11th November, 2011. This Play is basically a Celebration of the Faiz's Poetry and featuring events from the early part of his life, particularly the events and incidents of pre-partition days which shaped his life and ideals. Directed by K K Kohli this musical Production featured Artists like Shamir Abadan, Jaishri Sethi, Dr Naseem, Izhar, Minhaj, Prateek Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna and Amit Bajaj in lead roles. This script is the first part of Faiz trilogy written by Danish Iqbal at the occasion of Faiz Centenary Celebrations.
4. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' - A dramatized reading of Faiz's letter and letters written by his wife Alys. This Production was initially done at the start of his birth centenary celebrations at India Habitat Center, New Delhi by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza. Later the same Production, again by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza, was the concluding item at the JNU Urdu Festival, under the aegis of Wings Cultural Society. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' was also done at Amritsar Faiz Festival organized by Preet Ladi, at Punjab Natshala, Amritsar, on 6th October, 2011. This time it was done by Suchitra Gupta and Danish Iqbal.
5. 2011 Drama Festival of Delhi Urdu Academy is basically devoted to Productions about Faiz. Apart from 'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' and 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' this Festival will also feature Plays by Peirreot's Troupe on Faiz, namely 'Jo Dil Pe Guzarti Hai'.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/faiz-ahmed-faiz#ixzz1hNkGjabF
Pages from Wikipedia
Urdu Drama
Wikipedia
Urdu Drama evolved from the prevailing dramatic traditions of North India shaping Rahas or Raas as practiced by exponents like Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. His dramatic experiments led to the famous Inder Sabha of Amanat and later this tradition took the shape of Parsi Theatre. Agha Hashr Kashmiri is culmination of this tradition.
In some way or other, Urdu theatre tradition has greatly influenced modern Indian theatre. Among all the languages Urdu(which was called Hindi by early writers), along with Gujrati,Marathi and Bengali theatres have kept flourishing and demand for its writers and artists has not subsided by the drama aficionados. For Urdu drama, no place is better than Bombay Film industry otherwise known as Hindi film industry. All the early gems of Urdu Theatre (performed by Parsi Companies) were made into films. Urdu Dramatic tradition has been a spectator’s delight since 100 years and counting.
Drama as a theme is made up of several elements. It focuses on life and different aspects of it. The thing to be noticed here is that drama on stage imitates drama in life. It has been said that, there has always been a mutual relationship between theatre and real life. Great historical personalities like Shakespeare have influenced Modern Urdu tradition to a large extent when Indian, Iranian, Turkish stories and folk was adapted for stage with heavy doses of Urdu Poetry. In modern times writers like Imtiaz Ali Taj, Rafi Peer, Krishan Chander, Manto, Upender Nath Ashk, Ghulam Rabbani, Prof. Mujeeb and many others shaped this tradition.
While Prof Hasan, Ghulam jeelani, J.N,Kaushal, Shameem Hanfi, Jameel Shaidayi etc. belong to the old generation, contemporary writers like Danish Iqbal, Sayeed Alam, Shahid Anwar,Iqbal Niyazi and Anwar are few post modern Play wrights actively contributing in the field of Urdu Drama.
Sayeed Alam is known for his wit and humour and more particularly for Plays like 'Ghalib in New Delhi' 'Big B'and many other gems which are regularly staged for massive turn out of theatre lovers. Maulana Azad is his magnum opus both for its content and style.
Danish Iqbal's 'Dara Shikoh' directed by M S Sathyu is considered a modern classic for the use of newer theatre techniques and contemporary perspective. His other Plays are 'Sahir' on the famous lyricist and revolutionary poet. 'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' is another Play written by Danish which is basically a Celebration of the Faiz's Poetry, featuring events from the early part of his life, particularly the events and incidents of pre-partition days which shaped his life and ideals. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' - another Play inspired from Faiz's letters written from various jails during the Rawalpindi Conspiracy days. He has written 14 other Plays including 'Dilli Jo Ek Shehr Thaa' and 'Main Gaya Waqt Nahin hoon'. Shahid's 'Three B' is also a significant Play. He has been associated with amny groups like 'Natwa'and others. Zaheer Anwar has kept the flag of Urdu Theatre flying in Kolkata. Unlike the writers of previous generartion Sayeed, Shahid, Danish iqbal and Zaheer do not write bookish Plays but their work is a product of vigorous performing tradition.Iqbal Niyazi of Mumbai has written several plays in urdu.his play"AUR KITNE JALYANWALA BAUGH??"won National award other awards. Hence this is the only generartion after Amanat and Agha Hashr who actually write for stage and not for libraries.
Wikipedia
Urdu Drama evolved from the prevailing dramatic traditions of North India shaping Rahas or Raas as practiced by exponents like Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. His dramatic experiments led to the famous Inder Sabha of Amanat and later this tradition took the shape of Parsi Theatre. Agha Hashr Kashmiri is culmination of this tradition.
In some way or other, Urdu theatre tradition has greatly influenced modern Indian theatre. Among all the languages Urdu(which was called Hindi by early writers), along with Gujrati,Marathi and Bengali theatres have kept flourishing and demand for its writers and artists has not subsided by the drama aficionados. For Urdu drama, no place is better than Bombay Film industry otherwise known as Hindi film industry. All the early gems of Urdu Theatre (performed by Parsi Companies) were made into films. Urdu Dramatic tradition has been a spectator’s delight since 100 years and counting.
Drama as a theme is made up of several elements. It focuses on life and different aspects of it. The thing to be noticed here is that drama on stage imitates drama in life. It has been said that, there has always been a mutual relationship between theatre and real life. Great historical personalities like Shakespeare have influenced Modern Urdu tradition to a large extent when Indian, Iranian, Turkish stories and folk was adapted for stage with heavy doses of Urdu Poetry. In modern times writers like Imtiaz Ali Taj, Rafi Peer, Krishan Chander, Manto, Upender Nath Ashk, Ghulam Rabbani, Prof. Mujeeb and many others shaped this tradition.
While Prof Hasan, Ghulam jeelani, J.N,Kaushal, Shameem Hanfi, Jameel Shaidayi etc. belong to the old generation, contemporary writers like Danish Iqbal, Sayeed Alam, Shahid Anwar,Iqbal Niyazi and Anwar are few post modern Play wrights actively contributing in the field of Urdu Drama.
Sayeed Alam is known for his wit and humour and more particularly for Plays like 'Ghalib in New Delhi' 'Big B'and many other gems which are regularly staged for massive turn out of theatre lovers. Maulana Azad is his magnum opus both for its content and style.
Danish Iqbal's 'Dara Shikoh' directed by M S Sathyu is considered a modern classic for the use of newer theatre techniques and contemporary perspective. His other Plays are 'Sahir' on the famous lyricist and revolutionary poet. 'Kuchh Ishq kiya Kuchh Kaam' is another Play written by Danish which is basically a Celebration of the Faiz's Poetry, featuring events from the early part of his life, particularly the events and incidents of pre-partition days which shaped his life and ideals. 'Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan' - another Play inspired from Faiz's letters written from various jails during the Rawalpindi Conspiracy days. He has written 14 other Plays including 'Dilli Jo Ek Shehr Thaa' and 'Main Gaya Waqt Nahin hoon'. Shahid's 'Three B' is also a significant Play. He has been associated with amny groups like 'Natwa'and others. Zaheer Anwar has kept the flag of Urdu Theatre flying in Kolkata. Unlike the writers of previous generartion Sayeed, Shahid, Danish iqbal and Zaheer do not write bookish Plays but their work is a product of vigorous performing tradition.Iqbal Niyazi of Mumbai has written several plays in urdu.his play"AUR KITNE JALYANWALA BAUGH??"won National award other awards. Hence this is the only generartion after Amanat and Agha Hashr who actually write for stage and not for libraries.
Content from Wikipedia
Hindi Drama after 1940s and beyond
Pages from Wikipedia
As the Independence struggle was gathering steam playwrights broaching issues of nationalism and subversive ideas against the British, yet to dodge censorship, they adapted themes from mythology, history and legend and used them as vehicle for political messages, a trend that continues to date, though now it was employed to bring out social, personal and psychological issues rather than clearly political.
Post-independence the emerging republic threw up new issues for playwrights to tackle and express, and Hindi playwriting showed greater brevity and symbolism, but it was not as prolific as in case with Hindi poetry or fiction.[43] Yet we have playwrights like Jagdish Chandra Mathur (Konark) and Upendranath Ashk (Anjo Didi), who displayed a steadily evolving understanding of thematic development, theatrical constraints and stagecraft, and Gyandev Agnihotri stood out for his symbolism, wit and satire as visible in classic Shuturmurg written in 1960s.[44] before moving into screenwriting for Hindi films in the 1970s. [45][41][46][47]
The first original Hindi play of 20th century was Andha Yug (The Blind Epoch), by Dharamvir Bharati, which came in 1953, found in Mahabharat, both an ideal source and expression of modern discontent and predicament of a society riddled with corruption. Starting with Ebrahim Alkazi it was staged by numerous directors. With his verse play Uttar Priyadarshini, Agyeya found the story Ashoka's redemption, reflecting the modern call for peace.[48][47] Ashadh Ka Ek Din (One Day in Ashadh), the debut play of modernist Mohan Rakesh was published in 1958, based on the life of Sanskrit dramatist Kalidas, and is considered the first Modern Hindi play.[49] Mohan Rakesh went on to write two more plays, Aadhe Adhure (Halfway House) and Leheron Ke Raj Hans (Great Swans of the Waves) and left one, Paon Taley Ki Zameen (Ground beneath the Feet) unfinished by the time of his death in 1972, but he had shifted the landscape of Hindi theatre.[49] Today, his rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s is seen as the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Bengali, just as Vijay Tendulkar did it in Marathi, Badal Sircar in Bengali, and Girish Karnad in Kannada.[50] His plays have now become classics of Indian theatre, have been performed by almost every major Indian theatre director and have been part of the University curriculum in Hindi-speaking areas. [51]
Initially inspired by western dramaturgy, in structure and movement, many initial playwrights adapted Isben and Brecht, but soon returned to roots and found both content and form, giving birth to the movement called "theatre of the roots", a concerted attempt to decolonize Indian theatre and distance itself from western theatre.[52] Be it Habib Tanvir's Agra Bazar (1954) and Charandas Chor (1975), which brought in new indigenous forms of expression,[32] On the other hand there were younger playwrights like Surendra Verma, with his Surya Ki Antim Kiran Se Surya Ki Pahli Kiran Tak (From Sunset to Sunrise, 1972), Draupadi and Athwan sarga (Eighth Chapter, 1976), rapidly experimented with forms and formats,[47] and writers who ventured into playwrighting to produced important works, like Bhisham Sahni who has been associated with both IPTA and Progressive Writers Association, most noted for his partition-novel Tamas wrote, Hanush (1977), Madhavi (1982) and Muavze (1993).
Over the years the repertoire of Hindi plays has expanded to included translated and adapted works of successful playwrights from other languages, like Vijay Tendulkar, Girish Karnad, Mahesh Elkunchwar, G. P. Deshpande and Badal Sircar (Evam Indrajit, 1963, Pagla Ghoda, 1967).[3]
Danish Iqbal’s Dara Shikoh is a modern classic which was staged by director M S Sathyu. In the words of noted critic Ramesh Chand Charlie Dara Shikoh is a turning point of traditional theatrical sensibilities. Use of Wali Deccani's period poetry provides this Play with a very rare artistic and historical context. Dazzling use of Kathak choreography by Rani Khanum and her Troupe, and authentic costumes including head gear, swords and period art work was a treat for the eyes. This Play had a good run at cities like Delhi, Gurgaon and Banglore.
Another notable Drama of Danish Iqbal is Dilli jo ek Shehr Thaa depicts the life and times of a Delhi lost during the invasion of Nadir Shah. He was awarded Mohan Rakesh Samman for this Play by the Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit. Recently this Play was staged by Bharti Sharma of Kshitij Group and had Delhi audience mesmerized by its production values and grandeur.
Danish also wrote Sahir' on the life and times of Sahir Ludhyanvi which was staged in Delhi for a packed audience and became a landmark production for the use of old film songs as part of Dramatic Narrative. Directed by NRI Director Pramila Le Hunt this play became a commercial success and had audience wishing more and more of Sahir. Danish Iqbal also wrote Kuchh Ishq Kiya Kuchh Kaam on the life and work of legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Sarah Ka Sara Aasman on the poetess Sarah Shagufta, besides the biographical Drama 'Ghalib' which used Ghalib's poetry for the basic narrative and was staged at Dubai for the expatriate Indian Community. Danish had also given the block buster 'Woh Akhiri Hichki' and 'Amrita: A Sublime Love Story'(on the life and times of Amrita Pritam) and some other early works. In recent years he has been using lot of elements of Cinema and mass media to bring theatrical sensibilities closer to the audiences fed with lot of Bollywood. It is a pity that his collected work is not available till now although few versions of 'Dara Shikoh' and 'Ghalib' are available but Dara Shikoh being a costly historical costume Drama it is not easy to stage such a demanding production. 'Dilli Jo Ek Shehr Thaa' has all the markings of a classic stage play combining high voltage conflict with realistic characterizations, treacherous conspiracies, romance, poetry, dances and catchy dialogues.
Sayeed Alam is known for his wit and humour and more particularly for Plays like 'Ghalib in New Delhi' 'Big B' and many other gems which are regularly staged for massive turn out of theatre lovers. Maulana Azad is his magnum opus both for its content and style.
Shahid's 'Three B' is also a significant Play. He has been associated with many groups like 'Natwa' and others. Zaheer Anwar has kept the flag of Theatre flying in Kolkata. Unlike the writers of previous generation Sayeed, Shahid, Danish and Zaheer do not write bookish Plays but their work is a product of vigorous performing tradition.
Pages from Wikipedia
As the Independence struggle was gathering steam playwrights broaching issues of nationalism and subversive ideas against the British, yet to dodge censorship, they adapted themes from mythology, history and legend and used them as vehicle for political messages, a trend that continues to date, though now it was employed to bring out social, personal and psychological issues rather than clearly political.
Post-independence the emerging republic threw up new issues for playwrights to tackle and express, and Hindi playwriting showed greater brevity and symbolism, but it was not as prolific as in case with Hindi poetry or fiction.[43] Yet we have playwrights like Jagdish Chandra Mathur (Konark) and Upendranath Ashk (Anjo Didi), who displayed a steadily evolving understanding of thematic development, theatrical constraints and stagecraft, and Gyandev Agnihotri stood out for his symbolism, wit and satire as visible in classic Shuturmurg written in 1960s.[44] before moving into screenwriting for Hindi films in the 1970s. [45][41][46][47]
The first original Hindi play of 20th century was Andha Yug (The Blind Epoch), by Dharamvir Bharati, which came in 1953, found in Mahabharat, both an ideal source and expression of modern discontent and predicament of a society riddled with corruption. Starting with Ebrahim Alkazi it was staged by numerous directors. With his verse play Uttar Priyadarshini, Agyeya found the story Ashoka's redemption, reflecting the modern call for peace.[48][47] Ashadh Ka Ek Din (One Day in Ashadh), the debut play of modernist Mohan Rakesh was published in 1958, based on the life of Sanskrit dramatist Kalidas, and is considered the first Modern Hindi play.[49] Mohan Rakesh went on to write two more plays, Aadhe Adhure (Halfway House) and Leheron Ke Raj Hans (Great Swans of the Waves) and left one, Paon Taley Ki Zameen (Ground beneath the Feet) unfinished by the time of his death in 1972, but he had shifted the landscape of Hindi theatre.[49] Today, his rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s is seen as the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Bengali, just as Vijay Tendulkar did it in Marathi, Badal Sircar in Bengali, and Girish Karnad in Kannada.[50] His plays have now become classics of Indian theatre, have been performed by almost every major Indian theatre director and have been part of the University curriculum in Hindi-speaking areas. [51]
Initially inspired by western dramaturgy, in structure and movement, many initial playwrights adapted Isben and Brecht, but soon returned to roots and found both content and form, giving birth to the movement called "theatre of the roots", a concerted attempt to decolonize Indian theatre and distance itself from western theatre.[52] Be it Habib Tanvir's Agra Bazar (1954) and Charandas Chor (1975), which brought in new indigenous forms of expression,[32] On the other hand there were younger playwrights like Surendra Verma, with his Surya Ki Antim Kiran Se Surya Ki Pahli Kiran Tak (From Sunset to Sunrise, 1972), Draupadi and Athwan sarga (Eighth Chapter, 1976), rapidly experimented with forms and formats,[47] and writers who ventured into playwrighting to produced important works, like Bhisham Sahni who has been associated with both IPTA and Progressive Writers Association, most noted for his partition-novel Tamas wrote, Hanush (1977), Madhavi (1982) and Muavze (1993).
Over the years the repertoire of Hindi plays has expanded to included translated and adapted works of successful playwrights from other languages, like Vijay Tendulkar, Girish Karnad, Mahesh Elkunchwar, G. P. Deshpande and Badal Sircar (Evam Indrajit, 1963, Pagla Ghoda, 1967).[3]
Danish Iqbal’s Dara Shikoh is a modern classic which was staged by director M S Sathyu. In the words of noted critic Ramesh Chand Charlie Dara Shikoh is a turning point of traditional theatrical sensibilities. Use of Wali Deccani's period poetry provides this Play with a very rare artistic and historical context. Dazzling use of Kathak choreography by Rani Khanum and her Troupe, and authentic costumes including head gear, swords and period art work was a treat for the eyes. This Play had a good run at cities like Delhi, Gurgaon and Banglore.
Another notable Drama of Danish Iqbal is Dilli jo ek Shehr Thaa depicts the life and times of a Delhi lost during the invasion of Nadir Shah. He was awarded Mohan Rakesh Samman for this Play by the Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit. Recently this Play was staged by Bharti Sharma of Kshitij Group and had Delhi audience mesmerized by its production values and grandeur.
Danish also wrote Sahir' on the life and times of Sahir Ludhyanvi which was staged in Delhi for a packed audience and became a landmark production for the use of old film songs as part of Dramatic Narrative. Directed by NRI Director Pramila Le Hunt this play became a commercial success and had audience wishing more and more of Sahir. Danish Iqbal also wrote Kuchh Ishq Kiya Kuchh Kaam on the life and work of legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Sarah Ka Sara Aasman on the poetess Sarah Shagufta, besides the biographical Drama 'Ghalib' which used Ghalib's poetry for the basic narrative and was staged at Dubai for the expatriate Indian Community. Danish had also given the block buster 'Woh Akhiri Hichki' and 'Amrita: A Sublime Love Story'(on the life and times of Amrita Pritam) and some other early works. In recent years he has been using lot of elements of Cinema and mass media to bring theatrical sensibilities closer to the audiences fed with lot of Bollywood. It is a pity that his collected work is not available till now although few versions of 'Dara Shikoh' and 'Ghalib' are available but Dara Shikoh being a costly historical costume Drama it is not easy to stage such a demanding production. 'Dilli Jo Ek Shehr Thaa' has all the markings of a classic stage play combining high voltage conflict with realistic characterizations, treacherous conspiracies, romance, poetry, dances and catchy dialogues.
Sayeed Alam is known for his wit and humour and more particularly for Plays like 'Ghalib in New Delhi' 'Big B' and many other gems which are regularly staged for massive turn out of theatre lovers. Maulana Azad is his magnum opus both for its content and style.
Shahid's 'Three B' is also a significant Play. He has been associated with many groups like 'Natwa' and others. Zaheer Anwar has kept the flag of Theatre flying in Kolkata. Unlike the writers of previous generation Sayeed, Shahid, Danish and Zaheer do not write bookish Plays but their work is a product of vigorous performing tradition.
Why I played
Amrita...
Says Lavlin Thdani
Amrita Pritam, as writer Danish Iqbal puts it, ‘embodies the essence of the fabled, innate Sufism of Punjab as her thoughts and poetics, her creativity and intensity emanate from a perpetual state of love. Amrita’s voice echoes the Pan Sufi idiom of the lost and forgotten Punjab of Undivided India.’ Playing Amrita on stage was a big challenge for Lavlin. But her performance is simply superb. How could Lavlin depict such a character with ease and comfort? Amrita once referred to Lavlin as her “soul-mate”, though she was much younger than the legendary poetess, movelist and short-story writer who lived life on her own terms defying all social taboos.
Lavlin has made Amrita come alive on stage as she was in real life with ‘exquisite looks, a pure heart and a purer soul’ The powerful play has used the poetry of painter Imroj and Sahir Ludhianavi – the two persons who were part of Amrita’s daring and unorthodox life “to contextualize her story.” Charming Lavlin, who is a poet and a film-maker in her own right, has beautifully recaptured the sensitivities and pangs of love of Amrita belonging the nostalgic Punjab of yesteryears. A very powerful play. An equally powerful portrayal of the legendary Amrita by Lavlin.
More than a year ago, Mr KK Kohli, the producer of the play, approached me to play Amrita. As a film maker, I am always running short of time and to make a commitment to play the most extraordinary woman of our times and that too on stage where there are no retakes, meant total dedication to the project in broader terms. It meant virtual absentia from my office, from writing, shoots and edits. It meant seeing my family as and when and it also meant zero social activism and bye-bye to socializing. And before I could say NO, my inner voice got connected to AMRITAJI’s and I said YES. To top it all, the play was to be directed by M.S. Sathyu, the legendary director. I was thrilled for I have worked as the leading lady in two of Sathyu’s films namely, Bara and Sookha that fetched us the National Award.
Amritaji and I shared a unique relationship that only two women, notwithstanding the difference of about 4 decades could. She lived in my neighbourhood. As a young person of about twenty odd, I would often hop across to her artistically done up home and for that I give full credit to her life partner of 40 years, Imrozji, a painter by profession and choice. Their home at K 25 Hauz Khas Enclave had a unique serenity, harmony and an elevated quality of life that displayed itself unwittingly in all the objects from paintings to books to furniture and colours...vibrant and subtle all at once. It was a home of two individuals in love. It carried the aroma of tea served ever so often to the guests. And cigarettes that Amritaji delicately smoked mingled with the fragrance of flowers she lovingly received, from Imrozji every single day.
A woman cared for becomes a total woman. She was complete. And I strongly feel that to get a life partner like Imroz, you have to be an Amrita first. Not many women can become Amrita. Love too has to be earned.
I would run up the stairs to their abode on the first floor...literally dash to Amritaji’s room located to the right and as always find her reclining on the bed and writing or taking a nap or interviewing people for her magazine Nagmani or listening to some unusual story from someone at lunch time. I found her in the kitchen happily making chapattis while imrozji would be hanging around helping with dishes and cooking. Many a time, now that I look back, I had the good fortune of sharing a simple delicious meal with them. Dessert was always fruit carefully picked up by Imrozji, washed and neatly arranged in a colourful bowl on the dining table. The air in their most vividly at night to fill the pages of her writings.
Worth A Film
Lavlin has made Amrita Pritam come to life yet again. It was an unbelievable performance by her in a play on Amrita’s love life. Lavlin’s sensitive portrayal brought tears to my eyes. It truly was sublime. It’s worth a film. Absolutely for Indians and even for Pakistanis to immortalize a legend from this part of india who had strong emotional connection with Pakistan as well. The movie is a must with Lavlin playing the lead role of Amrita. We all must come together to see the talented Lavlin do it. It will be an award winning creative historical legendary film.
Kiran Bedi
Amritaji would often narrate her dreams to me... listen to my verses and give respect to my somewhat philosophical approach to life. She acknowledged my sensitivity and admired the nerve that came with it. On many an occasion, we would indulge in spontaneous jugalbandi.
Sitting on her bed, I would pen down a poem and ask her to respond. She would become like me, a youngster, and with same enthusiasm and involvement, never taking me lightly, would respond to my poems...and creativity kept rediscovering itself through this unique form of communication.
Amritaji, on my 1st book release, had declared publically that I was a poet of rare sensitivity and had much to offer to the world. Later even called me her soul-mate...a rare tribute coming from a Gyanpeeth awardee and the recipient of Padma Vibhusahan but more importantly, from a woman of great substance and courage who could live life on her own terms.
To me, she was many personas wrapped in the finest tapestry of spiritual silk woven by nature for its deserving child. Primarily she was a poet and a writer of great feeling and depth. She was a woman in love and an affectionate mother figure in my life. I liked the freshness with which she lived. I admired her unpretentious, simple ways and her long drawn struggle to survive and nurture a precious seed of finest flowering that she had carefully sown in the soil of her pain and longing. She was madly in love with the great lyricist, Sahir Ludhyanavi, for almost 20 years who remained a friend but did not opt to become her life companion.
Finally Imroz, years younger to her, walked into her life when she was around forty and Amrita firmly anchored herself in his matchless love.
Capturing A Bygone Era
Amrita is not a play but a tribute to creative persons like Amrita Pritam and her life companions. It is a different kind of theatrical experience and experiment. Most of the words spoken or recited on stage are their own. These words have been arranged in a certain pattern by Danish Iqbal and the actors give life to them. We have tried to capture the ambience of a bygone era and the boldness with which these people lived defying all social taboos. Experience theatre in a different format.
Director M.S. Sathyu
Rest is a rare story of companionship; many of us were lucky enough to witness and draw inspiration from.
A woman of dignity, she carried her suffering with grace. Sensitive to my pain, she absorbed it with the ease of a sponge. I could completely relate to her with or without words. Her voice would undergo a transformation as the notes of a piano from intense to very soft as though she wanted to protect my pain from getting hurt again. Often she would enter my inner world through my unsuspecting unlatched backdoor only to help me heal through tender touch of her soothing words. Our souls were connected and still are. So could have I ever said no when approached to play Amrita? Why me?
Arif Mohammed Khan
A Very Powerful Portrayal Lavlin, I had told Gautam Bhai there in the auditorium itself, that it was the greatest Indian performance that I have ever seen. Your acting, your expressions, your delivery of dialogues, your manners and movements created a strong feeling as if we were watching the real Amrita Ji, on stage. Your powerful portrayal of Amrita Ji whose life was a wonderful mix of love, nostalgia, wit and an iron will was so perfect that my eyes welled up with tears more than once. It was a delectable feast for eyes and mind both. ALLAH KARE ZORE ADAA AUR ZYADA With best wishes Arif Mohammed Khan
Some famous Bollywood actresses wanted to play this challenging role as conveyed by the producer to me and yet Kohli zeroed down on me...totally clueless about my long association with Amritaji. I knew then that the message had come from her. Could not have been otherwise.
Amrita...
Says Lavlin Thdani
Amrita Pritam, as writer Danish Iqbal puts it, ‘embodies the essence of the fabled, innate Sufism of Punjab as her thoughts and poetics, her creativity and intensity emanate from a perpetual state of love. Amrita’s voice echoes the Pan Sufi idiom of the lost and forgotten Punjab of Undivided India.’ Playing Amrita on stage was a big challenge for Lavlin. But her performance is simply superb. How could Lavlin depict such a character with ease and comfort? Amrita once referred to Lavlin as her “soul-mate”, though she was much younger than the legendary poetess, movelist and short-story writer who lived life on her own terms defying all social taboos.
Lavlin has made Amrita come alive on stage as she was in real life with ‘exquisite looks, a pure heart and a purer soul’ The powerful play has used the poetry of painter Imroj and Sahir Ludhianavi – the two persons who were part of Amrita’s daring and unorthodox life “to contextualize her story.” Charming Lavlin, who is a poet and a film-maker in her own right, has beautifully recaptured the sensitivities and pangs of love of Amrita belonging the nostalgic Punjab of yesteryears. A very powerful play. An equally powerful portrayal of the legendary Amrita by Lavlin.
More than a year ago, Mr KK Kohli, the producer of the play, approached me to play Amrita. As a film maker, I am always running short of time and to make a commitment to play the most extraordinary woman of our times and that too on stage where there are no retakes, meant total dedication to the project in broader terms. It meant virtual absentia from my office, from writing, shoots and edits. It meant seeing my family as and when and it also meant zero social activism and bye-bye to socializing. And before I could say NO, my inner voice got connected to AMRITAJI’s and I said YES. To top it all, the play was to be directed by M.S. Sathyu, the legendary director. I was thrilled for I have worked as the leading lady in two of Sathyu’s films namely, Bara and Sookha that fetched us the National Award.
Amritaji and I shared a unique relationship that only two women, notwithstanding the difference of about 4 decades could. She lived in my neighbourhood. As a young person of about twenty odd, I would often hop across to her artistically done up home and for that I give full credit to her life partner of 40 years, Imrozji, a painter by profession and choice. Their home at K 25 Hauz Khas Enclave had a unique serenity, harmony and an elevated quality of life that displayed itself unwittingly in all the objects from paintings to books to furniture and colours...vibrant and subtle all at once. It was a home of two individuals in love. It carried the aroma of tea served ever so often to the guests. And cigarettes that Amritaji delicately smoked mingled with the fragrance of flowers she lovingly received, from Imrozji every single day.
A woman cared for becomes a total woman. She was complete. And I strongly feel that to get a life partner like Imroz, you have to be an Amrita first. Not many women can become Amrita. Love too has to be earned.
I would run up the stairs to their abode on the first floor...literally dash to Amritaji’s room located to the right and as always find her reclining on the bed and writing or taking a nap or interviewing people for her magazine Nagmani or listening to some unusual story from someone at lunch time. I found her in the kitchen happily making chapattis while imrozji would be hanging around helping with dishes and cooking. Many a time, now that I look back, I had the good fortune of sharing a simple delicious meal with them. Dessert was always fruit carefully picked up by Imrozji, washed and neatly arranged in a colourful bowl on the dining table. The air in their most vividly at night to fill the pages of her writings.
Worth A Film
Lavlin has made Amrita Pritam come to life yet again. It was an unbelievable performance by her in a play on Amrita’s love life. Lavlin’s sensitive portrayal brought tears to my eyes. It truly was sublime. It’s worth a film. Absolutely for Indians and even for Pakistanis to immortalize a legend from this part of india who had strong emotional connection with Pakistan as well. The movie is a must with Lavlin playing the lead role of Amrita. We all must come together to see the talented Lavlin do it. It will be an award winning creative historical legendary film.
Kiran Bedi
Amritaji would often narrate her dreams to me... listen to my verses and give respect to my somewhat philosophical approach to life. She acknowledged my sensitivity and admired the nerve that came with it. On many an occasion, we would indulge in spontaneous jugalbandi.
Sitting on her bed, I would pen down a poem and ask her to respond. She would become like me, a youngster, and with same enthusiasm and involvement, never taking me lightly, would respond to my poems...and creativity kept rediscovering itself through this unique form of communication.
Amritaji, on my 1st book release, had declared publically that I was a poet of rare sensitivity and had much to offer to the world. Later even called me her soul-mate...a rare tribute coming from a Gyanpeeth awardee and the recipient of Padma Vibhusahan but more importantly, from a woman of great substance and courage who could live life on her own terms.
To me, she was many personas wrapped in the finest tapestry of spiritual silk woven by nature for its deserving child. Primarily she was a poet and a writer of great feeling and depth. She was a woman in love and an affectionate mother figure in my life. I liked the freshness with which she lived. I admired her unpretentious, simple ways and her long drawn struggle to survive and nurture a precious seed of finest flowering that she had carefully sown in the soil of her pain and longing. She was madly in love with the great lyricist, Sahir Ludhyanavi, for almost 20 years who remained a friend but did not opt to become her life companion.
Finally Imroz, years younger to her, walked into her life when she was around forty and Amrita firmly anchored herself in his matchless love.
Capturing A Bygone Era
Amrita is not a play but a tribute to creative persons like Amrita Pritam and her life companions. It is a different kind of theatrical experience and experiment. Most of the words spoken or recited on stage are their own. These words have been arranged in a certain pattern by Danish Iqbal and the actors give life to them. We have tried to capture the ambience of a bygone era and the boldness with which these people lived defying all social taboos. Experience theatre in a different format.
Director M.S. Sathyu
Rest is a rare story of companionship; many of us were lucky enough to witness and draw inspiration from.
A woman of dignity, she carried her suffering with grace. Sensitive to my pain, she absorbed it with the ease of a sponge. I could completely relate to her with or without words. Her voice would undergo a transformation as the notes of a piano from intense to very soft as though she wanted to protect my pain from getting hurt again. Often she would enter my inner world through my unsuspecting unlatched backdoor only to help me heal through tender touch of her soothing words. Our souls were connected and still are. So could have I ever said no when approached to play Amrita? Why me?
Arif Mohammed Khan
A Very Powerful Portrayal Lavlin, I had told Gautam Bhai there in the auditorium itself, that it was the greatest Indian performance that I have ever seen. Your acting, your expressions, your delivery of dialogues, your manners and movements created a strong feeling as if we were watching the real Amrita Ji, on stage. Your powerful portrayal of Amrita Ji whose life was a wonderful mix of love, nostalgia, wit and an iron will was so perfect that my eyes welled up with tears more than once. It was a delectable feast for eyes and mind both. ALLAH KARE ZORE ADAA AUR ZYADA With best wishes Arif Mohammed Khan
Some famous Bollywood actresses wanted to play this challenging role as conveyed by the producer to me and yet Kohli zeroed down on me...totally clueless about my long association with Amritaji. I knew then that the message had come from her. Could not have been otherwise.
Poet Amrita Pritam’s life enacted on stage
Kavita Nagpal |
Asian Age Correspondent
Amrita Pritam (August 1919-October 2005), the Punjabi poet who was as well known for her emotional and humanistic poetry as for her bohemian life, was the subject of an interesting drama, Amrita, A Sublime Love Story, written by Danish Iqbal and presented by Impresario Asia and Old World Culture at the Habitat Centre.
Amrita lost her mother at the age of 11, after which she moved to Lahore with her father. Loneliness led her to writing at a very young age.
Her fist collection of poems, Amrit Lehren, was published when she was sixteen. That year, as part of her father’s commitment, Amrita was married of to Pritam Singh, a hosiery merchant in Lahore. Falling desperately in love with Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi, she left her husband along with her son and daughter in 1960. The play, which is culled from Amrita’s own words and writings, describes how during a press interview, she scribbled Sahir’s name all over a piece of paper.
Her passion for Sahir was boundless. “I caught myself writing Sahir on the back of Imroze’s sweater whilst travelling on his scooter”. When the relationship with Sahir did not work out—he apparently had another woman in his life — Amrita found comfort with the painter Imroze. It was this relationship that sustained Amrita for the last 40 years of her life. Saying she loves him, she writes how when he went to Mumbai on an assignment and she missed him so much that she decided to collect the ten thousand rupees he said he wanted as insurance against taking up any job ever again.”
Imroze was aware of Amrita’s passionate love for Sahir. He developed a friendship with him. In a visually attractive sequence, where Sahir is smoking by the sea side (depicted by a cyclorama on one side of the auditorium), Imroze comes looking for him and they sit on the sand drinking and reciting poetry in perfect camaraderie. Amrita was also close to Sajjad, who lived in Pakistan, an old friend whose visits were the highlights in her life.
Amrita’s most important work is an invocation to the Sufi poet, who sang the immortal tragedy Heer Ranjha, in which she begs him, who once wrote about a girl’s grief in Punjab to cast a glance at the thousands of girls who have been killed, molested and tortured during the Partition. Ajj Akhya Waris Shah nu kiton kabran vichchon bol, Tu ajj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla vakra phol ,written in Gurmukhi in 1948, is considered one of the greatest poems on Partition. Amrita was the first woman to receive the Sahitya Akademi award for her book Sunehray and also the Punjab Ratna Award. She also received the Padma Vibhushan and was made Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi. These and several other international and national awards barely find mention in the script.
Lavlin Thadani, who is a poet in her own right and shared a special bond with the poet, plays Amrita, who comes across as a perpetual Heer in search of her Ranjha, she becomes a tragedienne, putting up a brave front. One sees little of Amrita, the woman who inspired by the progressive movement, shed her romanticism and wrote Lok Peera. Amrita’s style of speaking was peculiar in its slow and deliberate rhythm, particularly when she was reading her own poem. Lavlin gets close to the slow and deliberate but it becomes slow and monotonous.
There is a dramatic sequence designed by the director where a split Amrita faces the contradictions and conflicts in her life.
Lavlin manages to hold the play together with sheer grit and by feeding the curiosity of the public that wants to know more about a woman who leaves her husband for a poet and then settles down with a painter who is much younger than her. The male characters are present as ideas; as extensions of Amrita. Sahir(Vijay Nangyal) is the smoker whose cigarette butts she smokes after he leaves her, and hopes that the cloud of smoke from her cigarettes would reach him in the other world. (He died in 1980 at the age of 59 of alcoholism). He is also the elusive one who never gives a straightforward reply to any question she asks. Imroze (Kedar Nath) is the dependable one, someone he can lean on. Sajjad (Sanjeev Kumar) is the he dashing hero of her youth, a friend and confidante. The script unfolds through Time or Waqt enacted by Mangat Ram in his sonorous voice as he interacts with Amrita and the story moves forward or backward as they desire.
The play, directed by veteran theatre person M.S. Sathyu, who made the definitive film Garam Hawa, comes across more a tribute to Amrita Pritam than as a serious theatre effort.
He has not tried to flesh out the characters. The set is an over furnished living room where more than two characters are difficult to accommodate, putting paid to any dramatic diagonal moves. The play works because of the nostalgia around Amrita Pritam, who is important for the displaced Punjabi.
For others, she is a topic of discussion.
Kavita Nagpal |
Asian Age Correspondent
Amrita Pritam (August 1919-October 2005), the Punjabi poet who was as well known for her emotional and humanistic poetry as for her bohemian life, was the subject of an interesting drama, Amrita, A Sublime Love Story, written by Danish Iqbal and presented by Impresario Asia and Old World Culture at the Habitat Centre.
Amrita lost her mother at the age of 11, after which she moved to Lahore with her father. Loneliness led her to writing at a very young age.
Her fist collection of poems, Amrit Lehren, was published when she was sixteen. That year, as part of her father’s commitment, Amrita was married of to Pritam Singh, a hosiery merchant in Lahore. Falling desperately in love with Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi, she left her husband along with her son and daughter in 1960. The play, which is culled from Amrita’s own words and writings, describes how during a press interview, she scribbled Sahir’s name all over a piece of paper.
Her passion for Sahir was boundless. “I caught myself writing Sahir on the back of Imroze’s sweater whilst travelling on his scooter”. When the relationship with Sahir did not work out—he apparently had another woman in his life — Amrita found comfort with the painter Imroze. It was this relationship that sustained Amrita for the last 40 years of her life. Saying she loves him, she writes how when he went to Mumbai on an assignment and she missed him so much that she decided to collect the ten thousand rupees he said he wanted as insurance against taking up any job ever again.”
Imroze was aware of Amrita’s passionate love for Sahir. He developed a friendship with him. In a visually attractive sequence, where Sahir is smoking by the sea side (depicted by a cyclorama on one side of the auditorium), Imroze comes looking for him and they sit on the sand drinking and reciting poetry in perfect camaraderie. Amrita was also close to Sajjad, who lived in Pakistan, an old friend whose visits were the highlights in her life.
Amrita’s most important work is an invocation to the Sufi poet, who sang the immortal tragedy Heer Ranjha, in which she begs him, who once wrote about a girl’s grief in Punjab to cast a glance at the thousands of girls who have been killed, molested and tortured during the Partition. Ajj Akhya Waris Shah nu kiton kabran vichchon bol, Tu ajj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla vakra phol ,written in Gurmukhi in 1948, is considered one of the greatest poems on Partition. Amrita was the first woman to receive the Sahitya Akademi award for her book Sunehray and also the Punjab Ratna Award. She also received the Padma Vibhushan and was made Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi. These and several other international and national awards barely find mention in the script.
Lavlin Thadani, who is a poet in her own right and shared a special bond with the poet, plays Amrita, who comes across as a perpetual Heer in search of her Ranjha, she becomes a tragedienne, putting up a brave front. One sees little of Amrita, the woman who inspired by the progressive movement, shed her romanticism and wrote Lok Peera. Amrita’s style of speaking was peculiar in its slow and deliberate rhythm, particularly when she was reading her own poem. Lavlin gets close to the slow and deliberate but it becomes slow and monotonous.
There is a dramatic sequence designed by the director where a split Amrita faces the contradictions and conflicts in her life.
Lavlin manages to hold the play together with sheer grit and by feeding the curiosity of the public that wants to know more about a woman who leaves her husband for a poet and then settles down with a painter who is much younger than her. The male characters are present as ideas; as extensions of Amrita. Sahir(Vijay Nangyal) is the smoker whose cigarette butts she smokes after he leaves her, and hopes that the cloud of smoke from her cigarettes would reach him in the other world. (He died in 1980 at the age of 59 of alcoholism). He is also the elusive one who never gives a straightforward reply to any question she asks. Imroze (Kedar Nath) is the dependable one, someone he can lean on. Sajjad (Sanjeev Kumar) is the he dashing hero of her youth, a friend and confidante. The script unfolds through Time or Waqt enacted by Mangat Ram in his sonorous voice as he interacts with Amrita and the story moves forward or backward as they desire.
The play, directed by veteran theatre person M.S. Sathyu, who made the definitive film Garam Hawa, comes across more a tribute to Amrita Pritam than as a serious theatre effort.
He has not tried to flesh out the characters. The set is an over furnished living room where more than two characters are difficult to accommodate, putting paid to any dramatic diagonal moves. The play works because of the nostalgia around Amrita Pritam, who is important for the displaced Punjabi.
For others, she is a topic of discussion.
Hindu Review
The genius of Faiz
DIWAN SINGH BAJELI
THEATRE Delhi had a taste of the legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's works at the recent Urdu Drama Festival.
POETIC JUSTICE
The plays featured at the festival had titles from Faiz's famous poetic lines
T he Urdu Drama Festival organised by the Urdu Academy, Delhi at Shri Ram Centre recently was a glowing tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz, a great revolutionary Urdu poet. The plays featured at the festival had titles from Faiz's famous poetic lines and most of the poems sought to be dramatised were selected from his poems he composed while he was in prison.
The festival opened with “Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan” presented by Wings Cultural Society. Remarkable for its slickness and imaginative design, director Salima Raza's production evoked a nostalgic mood. There were two locales - the prison where Faiz was kept and home where Faiz's beloved wife Alys Faiz was sitting. Through exchange of letters between the wife and husband various aspects of their lives, time and socio-political happenings were revealed. Alone in his cell in the prison and implicated in the so-called Rawalpindi Conspiracy case, Faiz kept writing poems. Alys writes about her struggle to look after their two daughters, Moneeza and Salima, her intense worries about the release of her husband from prison and her own struggle of living in Pakistan as a British expatriate whose husband is in prison.
These letters were read out by Salima Raza who played the role of Alys and Danish Iqbal as Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Both are senior theatre artistes. Their styles were restrained. There was nothing superficial about their delivery. Whatever they delivered, they delivered with inner conviction. In this process they established a lively rapport with audience and conveyed the world outlook of the poet that repression and gloom are only the transitory phase. The end of tyrants was inevitable. “Though tyrants may command that lamps be smashed/in rooms where lovers are destined to meet/they cannot snuff out the moon…”
The climactic scene was marked by the powerful rendition of Faiz's immortal poem Hum dekhenge, hum dekhenge/lazim hai ki hum bhi dekhenge. Some of the members of the audience joined the performers on the stage and the rendition acquired tremendous power, exuding revolutionary fervour. (In fact this poem was sung by Iqbal Bano, a Pakistani singer as a protest against the arrest of Faiz in 1951. In India this poem is hugely popular among progressive writers and intellectuals with left leanings).
A surprise!
The evening witnessed a surprise and such surprises are rare in the theatre world of Delhi. Faiz's daughter Moneeza, who happened to be in India, was invited to come to the stage. She spoke briefly about the sufferings of her mother and was overwhelmed to see the production and the emotionally surcharged auditorium.
Another play featured at the festival was “Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat Mere Mehboob Na Maang” which was presented by ACME. Written and directed by Ram Ji Bali who also played the role of Faiz. It is a well written script that dramatised Faiz's poetry against the backdrop of his political and literary activities. Action shifts from prison where Faiz was confined as a political prisoner to various venues of Faiz's activities. We meet in these meetings important leaders of the progressive writers association including Sajjad Zaheer. We meet Faiz as military officer who was promoted to the rank of Ly.-Col. (he resigned later from military). While meeting his comrades, who criticised his action to join armed forces, he justified his decision to join the army because the Second World War was basically a war against fascism. The play also revealed that Faiz was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union. Bali in the leading role of Faiz imparted deft strokes to the portrayal of his character.
Sayeed's take
Pierrot's Troupe presented “Jo Dil Pe Guzarti Hai” under the direction of Sayeed Alam. Written by Asma Mirza, it is a solo play enacted by Ekant Kaul.
Brilliantly directed and acted, the production presented recitation of great poetic pieces set to a music score that enhanced the meaning and emotional depth of the poems selected with care.
The poetic recitation from off-stage by Sayeed Alam had slow rhythm, depth and clarity of diction that stirred the audience emotionally and intellectually. The director's treatment of the recitation of poem “Hum Bhi Dekhenge” was remarkable for its ingenuity and impact.
Faiz's daughter Moneeza, who happened to be in India, was invited to come to the stage. She spoke briefly about the sufferings of her mother and was overwhelmed to see the production and the emotionally surcharged auditorium.
Review of Drama Festival
A tribute to Urdu and Faiz
NIDHI GUPTA 13th Nov
The recently-concluded Urdu Drama Festival hosted by the Urdu Academy at the Sri Ram Centre was a fiesta of reminiscence and romantic indulgence. In its 23rd year, the event was dedicated to Pakistani poet and intellectual Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911–1984) to commemorate his birth centennial. Five plays selected from a gamut of scripts were staged through the week by various cultural and theatre groups, celebrating the life and works of Faiz.
Wings Cultural Society presented Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan, a dramatic depiction of letters exchanged between Faiz and his wife Alys while he was in exile. It was enacted by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza respectively. Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Na Maang, directed by Ramji Bali and performed by Acme group was an adaptation of his poem to a period of struggle in Faiz's life. Tera Bayaan Ghalib, directed by Dr Hadi Sarmadi and performed by Bahroop Arts Group, was an adaptation of one of his few plays for the radio for the first time on stage. The festival concluded with Jo Dil Pe Guzarti Hai, directed by Dr Saeed Alam and presented by Pierrot's Group and Kuch Ishq Kiya Kuch Kaam by IPTA, written by Danish Iqbal and directed by K.K. Kohli.
{ Now, with the younger generation preoccupied with materialism, language too is a currency and there is no place in their wallets for anything but English, he says.
A surprise element was the presence of Faiz's daughter Moneeza Hashmi in the audience during the staging of Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan. An overwhelmed Hashmi said that the world knew Faiz, but did not know Alys who kept their family together. She thanked Raza for depicting the deep love of her parents through letters she had never had the courage to read. "Through all the struggle and separation, they never lost their romantic love for each other, or their sense of humour," Raza says.
"Tera Bayaan Ghalib, written for Rs 15 in desperate times, is not so much drama as rumination. And yet, we had the audience gripped by his narration," points out Dr Sarmadi. The language Urdu, he stressed, did not belong to any one community, it was the language of humanity and of India as a whole. "Communities die out, but languages continue to live." For Raza too, Urdu is a language rooted in Indian soil. "It might be dying as script and increasingly getting associated with romance and nostalgia. But if you look around, it is everywhere, from news channels to daily usage," she points out.
Anis Azmi, Secretary of the Urdu Academy, echoes this sentiment. "After Partition, Urdu became Pakistan's official language and generations of prejudice has meant it is hugely ignored in India," he laments. Now, with the younger generation preoccupied with materialism, language too is a currency and there is no place in their wallets for anything but English, he says.
Created by the state government's Department of Art, Culture and Language in 1981, the academy has been involved in promoting the Urdu language through seminars and workshops. "Twenty three years is a good run. Perhaps, next year, we'll make a tribute to Saadat Hassan Manto," he muses.
NIDHI GUPTA 13th Nov
The recently-concluded Urdu Drama Festival hosted by the Urdu Academy at the Sri Ram Centre was a fiesta of reminiscence and romantic indulgence. In its 23rd year, the event was dedicated to Pakistani poet and intellectual Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911–1984) to commemorate his birth centennial. Five plays selected from a gamut of scripts were staged through the week by various cultural and theatre groups, celebrating the life and works of Faiz.
Wings Cultural Society presented Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan, a dramatic depiction of letters exchanged between Faiz and his wife Alys while he was in exile. It was enacted by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza respectively. Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Na Maang, directed by Ramji Bali and performed by Acme group was an adaptation of his poem to a period of struggle in Faiz's life. Tera Bayaan Ghalib, directed by Dr Hadi Sarmadi and performed by Bahroop Arts Group, was an adaptation of one of his few plays for the radio for the first time on stage. The festival concluded with Jo Dil Pe Guzarti Hai, directed by Dr Saeed Alam and presented by Pierrot's Group and Kuch Ishq Kiya Kuch Kaam by IPTA, written by Danish Iqbal and directed by K.K. Kohli.
{ Now, with the younger generation preoccupied with materialism, language too is a currency and there is no place in their wallets for anything but English, he says.
A surprise element was the presence of Faiz's daughter Moneeza Hashmi in the audience during the staging of Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan. An overwhelmed Hashmi said that the world knew Faiz, but did not know Alys who kept their family together. She thanked Raza for depicting the deep love of her parents through letters she had never had the courage to read. "Through all the struggle and separation, they never lost their romantic love for each other, or their sense of humour," Raza says.
"Tera Bayaan Ghalib, written for Rs 15 in desperate times, is not so much drama as rumination. And yet, we had the audience gripped by his narration," points out Dr Sarmadi. The language Urdu, he stressed, did not belong to any one community, it was the language of humanity and of India as a whole. "Communities die out, but languages continue to live." For Raza too, Urdu is a language rooted in Indian soil. "It might be dying as script and increasingly getting associated with romance and nostalgia. But if you look around, it is everywhere, from news channels to daily usage," she points out.
Anis Azmi, Secretary of the Urdu Academy, echoes this sentiment. "After Partition, Urdu became Pakistan's official language and generations of prejudice has meant it is hugely ignored in India," he laments. Now, with the younger generation preoccupied with materialism, language too is a currency and there is no place in their wallets for anything but English, he says.
Created by the state government's Department of Art, Culture and Language in 1981, the academy has been involved in promoting the Urdu language through seminars and workshops. "Twenty three years is a good run. Perhaps, next year, we'll make a tribute to Saadat Hassan Manto," he muses.
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