That plaint of Urdu theatre
DIWAN SINGH BAJELI
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“Gali Gali Mein Shor Hai, Bahurupiya Chor Hai” mounted this past week at New Delhi’s Shri Ram Centre kept everyone amused.
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NO PREACHING A scene from “Gali Gali Mein Shor Hai, Bahurupiya Chor Hai”.
Delhi’s Urdu Academy is doing laudable work in the propagation and development of Urdu theatre in the Capital by organising theatre festivals and children theatre workshops, besides publishing works of dramaturgy and scholarly articles on theat
re. It is credited with the publication of an encyclopaedia of Urdu theatre, which was updated in 2005 in Hindi versions, written by well-known theatre personality Anis Azmi.
Its latest offering of children’s play “Gali Gali Mein Shor Hai, Bahurupiya Chor Hai” was presented to a capacity hall this past week at Shri Ram Centre. It kept adults and children highly amused.
Conceived in the course of a theatre workshop, the script is based on a Rajasthani folktale. Written by Anis Azmi, the production brought alive vividly the risky acts of thieving committed by a street-smart thief in various guises. The wily young fox goes on cheating and plundering the rich and the credulous without being caught.
The play has some common thematic elements with those of legendary hero of 12th Century England popularly known as Robin Hood. In fact, similar stories are popular in different parts of the country with variations, especially the Bengali legend called ‘Dasyu Kenaram’ which has been developed into a musical by Kalyani Natyacharcha Kendra.
Artistic whole
The play, directed by Mohammed Nadeem Khan, used elements of dance and music to create an artistic whole. His direction was remarkable for light comic touch, beautiful stage compositions and for providing enough room to children performers for improvisations. The production unfolded storyline in a cohesive manner. Khan is himself a product of theatre workshop conducted by Urdu Academy.
The production did not try to convey a moral lesson in a loud manner; it sought to eschew propagandist tone. However, it conveyed implicitly that anti-social elements were the creation of an unjust social system. The Bahurupiya declares to his accomplices that whatever they have plundered from the rich belongs to the poor.
The cast had more than 30 children, exuding enthusiasm, spontaneity and vitality, who established a lively rapport with the audience. Farah Quddusi in the lead role of thief gave a brilliant account of herself.
Her thief was foxy enough to acquire various guises – a servant, a merchant, a royal minister and a faqir – to deceive the victims and the police. Even in the most trying situations her thief maintained a sense of humour. Faisal Quddusi, Karishma Nishant and Mohammed Wasiq caricatured an inefficient dull-witted and lethargic police force in a style that evoked laughter.
Urdu theatre and drama have a rich past. Amanat’s Indra Sabha is considered the earliest significant landmark which was written in 1853.
The present situation of Urdu theatre is not heartening. Sincere efforts being made by Urdu Academy are not enough to revitalise Urdu theatre movement. In the Capital there is only one amateur group called Hum Sab Drama Group of Aiwan-e-Ghalib which is not active as far as producing Urdu dramas is concerned, especially after the death of the late Begum Abida Ahmed.
What is required is the opening of Urdu theatre repertoryto bring back the glory of Urdu drama and theatre, capable of reflecting contemporary sensibility and complexities of social, political and economic life.
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