Mirza Ghalib defends himself against charges of being anti-national. Pakistani humorist Ibn-e-Insha’s political satire finds a new life on stage. Munshi Premchand meets Amin Kamil as a man’s shroud is stolen from his grave. These are vignettes from the Urdu Drama Festival held at the Ghalib Institute in memory of Begum Abida Ahmed. The five-day event saw five powerful plays where artistes from different backgrounds showcased the beauty of Urdu theatre.
“Urdu is not just a language, it is a culture. The language is a kind of oxygen for Delhi where people speak and appreciate Urdu, at times without realising that they are conversing in Urdu,” said Danish Iqbal whose play “Anti-National Ghalib” was staged during the festival.
The other plays on show were “Qissa Urdu Ki Aakhri Kitaab Ka”, “Kafan-Kafan Chor”, “Aadmi Naama” and “Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan” . Considered as one of the top humorists in Urdu literature, Ibn-e-Insha’s classic text, “ Urdu Ki Aakhri Kitaab”, was adapted into a play by Danish Hussain. The opening play of the festival was a nice blend of storytelling, satire, talk-show and stand-up comedy with poetic interludes.
The plays were inspired by the contemporary scenario and struggles of common man. “Turbulent times provide ample opportunities to writers and artists to make use of inherent stories,” said Iqbal. The plays not only engaged audience with the issues of society, but also invoked them to take a stand. “Art makes us discover our hidden interests,” said Syed Raza Haider, director Ghalib Institute. Hadi Sarmadi, one of the actors of the play Aadmi Naama, which delved into rise of corruption in post-independent India, said that such plays were making a difference, “Unlike mainstream masala films, they compel us to think, at times proving cathartic for the audience.”
The festival was inaugurated by S.Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, who is also a former member of the HumSub Drama group. Formed in 1974, by Begum Abida Ahmed, wife of former President of India Late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, the drama group is known for reviving interest in Urdu theatre. “When the genre of Urdu comedy dramas was slowly dying in Delhi, the HumSub Drama group worked to keep this tradition alive,” said Raza.
