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Umaima Abbasi

Jan 5th

Posted by mansoor in Actresses

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umaima

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اے آر وائی ڈیجیٹل کی آنے والی سیریل دیا جلے

Dec 21st

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اے آر وائی ڈیجیٹل نے اپنے ناظرین کو ہمیشہ خوبصورت اور معیاری پرگراموں کے ذریعے اپنی جانب متوجہ کیا اور اسی تسلسل کو جاری رکھتے ہوئے ناظرین کے لئے اب نئی سیریل ” دیا جلے “ پیش کی جا رہی ہے ۔ یہ سیریل ہر اتوار کی شب آٹھ بجے دکھائی جائے گی۔

اس حوالے سے ش م خ نے بتایا کہ سیریل دیا جلے کو اے اینڈ بی پروڈکشن کے توسط سے آصف رضامیر اور بابر جاوید پیش کریں گے۔سیریل کو تحریر کیا ہے فائزہ افتخار نے جبکہ ہدایت بابر جاوید کی ہیں۔سیریل دیا جلے میں سویرا ندیم ،آصف رضامیر عدنان صدیقی اور ماریہ واسطی نے مرکزی کردار ادا کئے ہیں۔

سیریل “ دیا جلے “کی کہانی ایک اٹھائیس سالہ تعلیم یافتہ دردمند شاعرہ اوربااصول ٹیچرنادیہ کے گرد گھومتی ہے ، نادیہ ایک نیک بیٹی اچھی بہن اور نند بھی ہے۔سمیر اس کے لائق نہیں مگر والدین کی خواہش کی وجہ سے نادیہ سمیر سے منگنی کر لیتی ہے۔اس کی ہونے والی ساس بھی اچھی خوبیوںکی مالک نہیں ہے۔

سمیر نادیہ سے جب بہت بد تمیزی کرتا ہے تو نادیہ سمیر پر ہاتھ اٹھادیتی ہے اور یوں منگنی ختم ہوجاتی ہے۔نادیہ سمیر سے معافی مانگنے کو تیار نہیں اوریوں نادیہ کے کئی رشتے اس منگنی کے ختم ہونے سے واپس ہوگئے ،ایسے میں فیضان جو پینتالیس سالہ شخص صاحب حیثیت اور دو بچوں کا باپ ہے کا رشتہ آنے پر ماں اور بھائی کی خواہش پر اس رشتے پر راضی ہوجاتی ہے۔فیضان کی یہ شرط ہے کہ اسے بچے کی خواہش نہیں۔

شادی کے بعد فیضان یہ برداشت نہیں کرتا کہ نادیہ کی محبت کے ناطے بچے اس سے دورہوں۔وہ بیٹے حمزہ کو ہاسٹل میں داخل کرا دیتا ہے۔اور بیٹی کی تربت کے لئے وہ نادیہ کو بہتر سجھتا ہے۔۔فیضان اپنی بیٹی ہانیہ کا رشتہ اپنے دوست کے بھائی اسفند سے کرنا چاہتا ہے۔اسفنس غلط فہمی کی وجہ سے نادیہ کو ہانیہ سمجھ کر ہاں کردیتا ہے۔ نادیہ ایک شادی شدہ خاتون ہے چند ملاقاتوںمیں اسے احساس ہوتا ہے کہ اسفند اوراس کے ذہن کتنے ملتے ہیں۔دونوں میں دوستی ہوجاتی ہے۔

کیا نادیہ ان حالات کی وجہ سے شاعری چھوڑ دیتی ہے۔ہانیہ زوہیب ایک دوسرے کو پسند کرتے ہیں ،زوہیب کے انکار پر کیا یہ دونوں گھر سے فرار ہوجاتے ہیں ؟ نادیہ طلاق کا فیصلہ کرتی ہے ،کیا سیماب قریشی ایڈووکیٹ نادیہ کو طلاق دلوانے میں کامیاب ہوجاتی ہے۔

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Magnificent Maria

Dec 20th

Posted by mansoor in Articles

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by SUMEHA KHALID
Around ten years ago, a dusky charmer appeared on our television screens in a state-owned play. She performed well and was immediately noticed by the movers and shakers of the industry. Here was somebody to reckon with. Here was a star, ready to be discovered. As for the girl, she had found something that would make her feel liberated; something that would allow her to live life on her own terms.

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Maria Wasti considered it an opportunity and pure luck to have landed in such a happening business. And fortunately she did not run out of that luck not even when it came to family matters. Her family supported her decision to take on acting as a career. Her mother was away and not in town when she made her debut in the play which was to be her line of work in the future. It all happened in a jiffy. One day she was not there and when she returned she found her daughter had become a TV actor. But one must say that her mom was quite cool about it and allowed Maria to continue acting. The girl was simultaneously pursuing her Business Management degree.
Maria was not the only one in the family who tried this form of art. Her sister had also dabbled in acting but didn’t like the experience so she gave up the idea for good; whereas, Maria had found her calling. Today, she is a beacon of style and talent. She’s come a long way since her Kallu days (another one of her memorable dramas). She’s loaded on the oomph factor something that makes her a darling with the media as well as with the audiences. It is hard work and dedication that goes in her favour, but above all it is luck that plays an important part in shaping your career or your life for that matter. It was luck, the right timing and most importantly talent that got her where she is today.
It may seem that the glitterati live in a different world, a world of glitz and dazzle with every moment a scintillating one. But in actuality, Maria, unlike many showbiz and glamour icons, is a down-to-earth and an unassuming person. It’s her devotion and dedication that has made her one of the most sought after female actors of present times. Versatility, with a healthy dash of spiritualism and an intelligent mind describes her best. But who is she, really? That is something that has always remained somewhat of an enigma. For, whenever she gives an interview she deliberately manoeuvres the topic of her personal life and brings it to practical life.
A true Leo, Maria does not believe in deviating from her goals; acting is her first and last love. She has not even tried to dabble in the various genres of showbiz… except production. It has been heard that the girl has been involved in some production work in recent months. A witty soul, with a highly developed sense of humour, and a Maria Wastikeen observation, she could well have landed a successful director but she refrains from taking on that particular role. She calls herself a director’s actor and has no plans of directing… not at the moment. Maybe at a later stage we might see Maria helming TV projects but that’s not on the cards; for the time being she’s content being an actor and producer. Maria likes her privacy and expects others (especially media) to respect that. She’s quite aware of the prevalent lobby system in showbusiness, but always claims to hail from no specific lobby. However, she believes that there’s nothing wrong in lobbying as long as you’re not damaging anyone’s cause. In her opinion, it exists for the reason that actors often do not want to risk working with people they do not know or are not sure of, which to quite an extent is true.
Success, for Maria does not hold much meaning as she believes that to be successful in Pakistan is not a big deal. It’s not like it is in Hollywood. As humble as Maria tries to be, she cannot deny the fact that she is one of the most indispensable faces of showbiz. Considering the girl has sass, the girl has style it is surprising then that she has not opted for ramp modelling. And that’s because she claims to have neither the height nor the size to be a model. Self- deprecating now, wouldn’t you agree?
Always on the move and doing projects all over the hemisphere, it’s Lahore where she heads to for relaxation. Basically she’s stationed in Lahore, but in the recent few years she had been shuttling between various places, especially Karachi and Lahore and it was then that she realised she could no longer live out of a suitcase. Hence, Karachi is as much home to her as is Lahore.
At present, Maria is concentrating on her production ventures and equally devoting time to her acting career. She’s someone who does not believe in long term planning and takes life as it comes. So she would much rather leave it all up to fate and would wait and see what the future holds for her. With the looks of a siren, she is still a little girl at heart, who feels life is to be valued and cherished without sulking over the unpleasant moments.

Courtesy: Mag weekly

Maria Wasti ’s latest photo shoot for Mag weekly

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Nighat Chaudhry

Dec 6th

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Who is not familiar with the Nighat Chaodhry, an artiste, who exercises a monopoly in classical dance. Born in Lahore and brought up in England Nighat has been a dancer from an early age as her skills were vividly visible when she was still a toddler. Later under the tutelage of legendry kathak dancer Naheed Siddque, she got herself groomed to perfection. Besides learning ballet and contemporary dance in London, Nighat also get herself trained in Kathak from the venerated institution of Kathak Kendra in Delhi, from Pandit Durga Lal of the Jaipur gharana. Today she is a force to reckon with, an institution to look forward to. With her newly founded NGO i.e. National Dance Foundations that she aims to preserve the dance heritage of our country. Under her belt two esteemed projects have already set in namely ?Classical Dances of Pakistan (Since Partition)?and ? Mountain Dances of Pakistan?. Best of luck , Nighat !!
Your most valuable assets:
My art form
Craziest thing you ever did:
A dhamal at baba bhulle shah?s shrine
One person you idealize:
Michael Jackson
One Talent, you would love to have most:
Teaching
On what occasions do you lie:
When I am stuck and it helps a situation
Philosophy of life:
Be a good human being
On a blind date you?d go out with:
No-one

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Sania Saeed

Dec 6th

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Sania Saeed’s name has been synonymous with acting since the early ’90s when she wowed Pakistani television audiences with the subdued Mehrunnisa in Sitara aur Mehrunnisa. She became actively involved in theatre during the ’90s as well, as she continued to do fantastic television alongside.

Recently having bagged a Lux Style Award for Best TV Actress (Satellite) for Jhumka Jaan, Sania Saeed’s love affair with theatre breathed once again after a long hiatus as well. Katha presented Kahaniyan, three one-act plays which had Sania starring as one of the leads in each; and slipping into each character, chameleon-like. Her performance had people yelling out “you were terrific!” when she took a bow with the rest of the cast onstage and had people saying things like: “not a single dull moment.”

Sania Saeed has proved her acting mettle time and again, and her rendition of each character she plays translates as well onstage as it does onscreen.
For winning over the masses with her television roles, the intellectuals with her theatre performances and high-brow award juries as well- Sania Saeed is Instep’s Hotstepper this week for being an acting institution.

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Kahanian staged at the Arts Council

Nov 29th

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Theatrics: Sampling life

By Sumera S. Naqvi
Katha’s director, Shahid Shafaat, is right in saying that the local audiences still bosom some kind of conviction to watching theatre that is funny and carries an aesthetic sense at the same time.

The acclaimed theatre troupe returned to stage after a hiatus of five years recently with Mein Adakara Banoon Gi, and now with Kahanian staged at the Arts Council from November 21-25, Shahid feels that it is this conviction from the audience that leads theatre groups to believe that the show must go on.

Katha’s Kahanian comprises three stories that expose human follies wrapped in a shell of senseless aplomb — these are little stories about you and me that we tend to make small talk with co-workers, relatives, friends, housewives, bus co-commuters, etc. All these stories, however, seem to run a common undercurrent — how we all continue to deceive ourselves with our own complex cultural and psychological dispositions that, if mirrored outside us, belittle us no end.

Sampling from the work of 19th century writers: famous American writer Henry James, Russian dramatist Chekov and Spanish brothers Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero, Shahid Shafaat adapted the interesting trio of plays immersed in a sense of realism that is universal to all kinds of audience. Thank God for adaptations though as original plays seem to be quite far-fetched at this point in time. One wonders why.

Chekov’s Lottery is about a docile housewife (Sania Saeed) and an egotist husband (Saleem Meraj) who win a lottery ticket worth Rs1 crore. As the power of love is suddenly overawed by the power of money, the husband realises that the (im)balance between the husband-wife relationship may be in jeopardy as the prize was in the wife’s name. Soon a real gain goes in vain as the husband mulls over the fate of the lottery ticket, tearing it up to keep the status quo intact.

Henry James’ Aunty (Kahan Ka Ishq) touches upon the insecurities of Farah (Sania again), an ageing woman who lives in a working women’s hostel and works for an insurance company. Her new roommate, Rachna (Fizza Zehra), turns out to be her college friend, a divorcee and a simple woman who teaches at a local college. Though the two stand in contrast, there seems to be an ‘opposites attract’ appeal between them which also tends to work as a controlling latch on each other — Farah is obsessed with her curves and her flirty nature but Rachna is the sane factor in her life.

Aik Subha is adapted from a play written by the Spanish brothers, Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero, which is about elderly people meeting in a park and remembering being in love with each other back in Delhi before Partition. Both try to mislead each other when they both know that they are the ones who were involved. The amusing exchange and the pleasant banter, though prolonged, was finely acted by Ehtashamuddin and Sania Saeed donned in a hunter’s kit and a sari, respectively — one not letting old age take over him while the other accepting it as a part of life.

Sania Saeed was seen at her very best as she acted the shades and tones of the characters very well in all of the three plays. She portrays roles that tend to resemble some relative or an acquaintance around us, “The audience tends to find a cousin or a chachi or a khala in me.” It may not sound very complimentary but it does imply her tremendous potential as a versatile actor.

One couldn’t help noticing an overspill on her part at times, but Sania was at ease on stage and undisputedly funny. In Lottery, Saleem Meraj commendably drew up a very engaging image of how a dominating husband can continue to befool his wife into worshipping her as the majazi khuda, not letting her ever take the driving seat.

Given the state of the art acoustics of the Arts Council theatre, Saleem Meraj and Ehtashamuddin pitched their voice throw levels appropriately according to the need of the situations.

Katha has a good sponsor in the Rotary as the latter sell tickets through their advantage in networking and philanthropic work. It was a pleasure to see the hall packed to capacity for theatre should not be shown for free. Many theatre activists feel it spoils the sense of commitment of the theatre goer.

Now that theatre groups are receiving more encouragement to revive their work, perhaps they should seriously hire financial managers who could work on the dynamics, especially the selling of the tickets. Katha is working on a new project due in March 2010, and one hopes they will find a sponsor to keep the ticket price reasonably within the reach of the common man. Why don’t corporate social responsibility departments of banks and companies take up the revival of theatre as a viable social issue to support?

Courtesy: Dawn Images

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26th death anniversary of chocolate hero Waheed Murad

Nov 23rd

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26th death anniversary of chocolate hero Waheed Murad is observing today (Monday). Waheed Murad was born on October 2, 1938 in Karachi and news of his death on November, 23, 1983 left many eyes brimming with tears.

His death created such a vacuum in the Pakistani film industry that is not still filled. Waheed Murad acted in 123 feature films and earned 32 awards for his unmatchable performance, a private TV channel reported. Murad started his film career by producing a film named Insan Badalta Hey. He has written and produced several films. Radio Pakistan has aired many interviews during his life.

As an actor he started his film career from SM Yousaf’s Aulad. Then came Daman in which he played second hero opposite Neelo with Sabiha and Santosh in the main lead. He appeared as lead hero in a Heera Aur Pathar opposite Zeba.The director, music composer and songwriter of the film were Pervaiz Malik, Suhail Rana and Masroor Anwar respectively.

This team led by Murad as hero and producer again created magic in the shape of film Arman which turned out to be first platinum jubilee film in Pakistan. Waheed Murad performed with many heroines such as Zeba, Shamim Ara, Rani, Shabnam, Deeba, Babra Sharif, Naghama Aaliya, Sangeeta and others.

He also gave some memorable performances in Punjabi films such as Mastana Mahi, Ishq Mera Naan, Sayyo Ni Mera Mahi, Akh Lari Badobadi and Jogi. Waheed Murad got married to Salma, daughter of a Karachi-basedindustrialist on 17 September 1964. His son Adil Murad, who also acted in a film is a computer engineer and lives in the United States.

His daughter Aaliya who is married to a businessman, lives in Karachi with her mother.

Murad’s important films included Mamta, Bahu Begum,Saaz Aur Awaz, Kaneez, Honhar, Bhiya, Jaag Utha Insaan, Dewar Bhabi, Insaniyat, Phir Subha Hogi, Maan Baap, Jan-e-Arzoo, Samandar, Dil Mera Dharkan Teri, Jahan Tum Wahan Hum, Ishara, Saalgira, Tum Hi Ho Mehboob Meray, Ladla, Andleeb, Ik Nagina, Maan Beta, Afsana, Baywafa, Naseeb Apna Apna, Phir Chand Niklay Ga, Chand Sooraj, Neend Hamari Khwab Tumharay, Rim Jhim,, Afshan, Anjuman, Khalish, Naag Muni, Hill Station, Daulat Aur Duniya, Bandagi, Zindagi Aik Safar Hey, Mulaqat, Baharo Phool Barsao, Khwab Aur Zindagi, Unhoni, Jaal, Tum Salamat Raho, Phool Meray Gulshan Ka, Mastani Mehbooba, Jab Jab Phool Khilay, Nishani, Pyari, Apnay Huay Paraiy, Izzat, Shabana, Zubaidah, Deedar, Surriya Bhopali, Nazrana, Parkh, Wada, I Love You, Muhbbat Zindagi Hey, Hero and many others. Salma Waheed Murad talking to a private TV channel said after passage of 25 years people still love and respect Waheed Murad which is surprising.

Senior actor Habid termed Waheed Murad as a king of expressions and said Murad enjoyed specialty in picturising romantic songs.
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Inmemoriam: Nusrat Thakur (1937-2009)

Nov 22nd

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By O.A
His name remained synonymous with quality TV plays throughout his career with PTV Lahore centre. The veteran director, undoubtedly the torch bearer of the golden age of television dramas/ plays, succumbed to cardiac arrest in Lahore on November 6, ending an innings that was marvelous, glorious and rebellious.

Son of well-known radio and TV artiste M.J. Thakur, Nusrat was born in Lahore in 1937 and after completing his education followed in his father’s footsteps by joining Radio Pakistan. He may not have managed to achieve the iconic status of his father on the airwaves, but used his experience to polish his skills as a TV director.

It wasn’t smooth sailing for Nusrat when he entered the domain of television. He served in different capacities at the PTV Lahore centre, including as duty officer, before turning to direction. The biggest push Nusrat got in his career as an assistant director was to assist the legendary Yawar Hayat in the ’70s, where he got to learn that realism sells better than fiction. It was this training that saw him fill in the boots of director when Ghazanfar Ali left Waris in 1979.

Not many know that Nusrat was not the first choice director for the Amjad Islam Amjad play. But the collaboration between the writer-director worked wonders for Waris, making it not only one of the most popular PTV productions ever, but also providing television future stalwarts like Abid Ali, Firdaus Jamal, Shujaat Hashmi and Mehboob Alam. The dynamic duo continued to collaborate and subsequent plays penned by Amjad Islam Amjad and directed by Nusrat Thakur, including Dehleez, Samandar and Raat, were proof of their combined genius.

Nusrat Thakur never worked with an average script. He scrutinised every aspect before giving the project the go ahead. He was against the glamourisation of women or extravagant sets, and weaved a certain degree of realism into all his plays.

He was up to the task when he was asked by PTV authorities to replace the long-running and successful Andhera Ujala in the ’80s with another police drama of 13 episodes. The result was Waqt, which was also a successful serial based on the exploits of an honest cop, played marvelously by Firdaus Jamal.

Asghar Nadeem Syed’s Piyas came in the late ’80s, with Nusrat Thakur as the director and Abid Ali leading the star cast that also featured Sohail Asghar, Azmul Haq, Afzaal Ahmed, Tahira Wasti, Arifa Siddiqi, Nighat Butt and debutant Ajab Gul.

Although the play was more focused on the tussle of Shahji (Afzaal Ahmed) and Khan Sahab (Abid Ali), it was Sohail Asghar’s character of Swara Khan that stole the show. His dialogues, especially “Sadqay theevan” and “Main aadmi hoon zara vakhre type ka” made it to the lips of everyone in those days, and it was Nusrat Thakur’s dedication that made the serial outlast its predecessors and contemporaries.

Undoubtedly the most impressive of his product is the character of Chaudhry Hashmat, played with brutal finesse by the late Mehboob Alam in Waris. The character of a landlord who doesn’t have failure in his dictionary, but is defeated on many grounds by the end of the serial, not only proved Nusrat’s credentials as a director but also his stand against feudalism and support for the oppressed.

Duniya was his last production for PTV in the ’90s, whereas he directed Ghulam Gardish after retiring as the General Manager of PTV, Lahore centre. GG may have featured a new generation of actors, including Iffat Raheem, Aaminah Haq and Adnan Siddiqui alongside Abid Ali, Rasheed Naz and Ajab Gul, but it was Nusrat Thakur’s brilliant command over direction that saw it as a success.

Most of his productions have featured his favourite actors such as Abid Ali, Firdaus Jamal, Mehboob Alam, and have been penned by playwrights Asghar Nadeem Syed and Amjad Islam Amjad. The ascent of private productions and decline in PTV production standards saw Nusrat quit after serving 40 years with the state-owned television channel. He served as the GM of PTV Lahore centre during the last 10 years of his career. He leaves behind a wife, son and a daughter. Nusrat Thakur’s legacy lives on through his evergreen plays.
Courtesy: Dawn Image

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Ptv Drama Serial ” Baarh “

Nov 22nd

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Love beyond limits

By MUTTAHIR AHMED KHAN
A new drama serial titled ?Barh,? produced by Uzma Ali Khan and directed by Kazim Pasha, is attracting the viewers nowadays. The star cast includes: Naheed Shabbir, Imran Abbass, Saba Faisal, Maria Khan, Qazi Wajid, Imran Patel, Razkamali, Shabber Jaan, Savera and Rubina Arif.
The theme of the play highlights the division of human relationships on the basis of love hate relationship, overshadowed by love, hate and mistrust. It discusses the unique values of love, optimism, happiness and dedication overcoming the evil and negative traits of an individual.
The play begins with Emaan, the daughter of a well-known industrialist Hafeez Ahmed, who is celebrating her birthday. Hafeez Ahmed?s elder brother has died and his two issues Tahir and Zinia have been brought up with Hafeez?s family. Saira, Hafeez?s wife, is a charming and graceful woman with loving nature and caring disposition. Zinia is engaged to Hafeez?s son Sheheryar and Tahir who has shifted to another house expects that Emaan would be engaged to him in the same way.
Another widow, Nadra Imtiaz, comes to reside in the neighbourhood. Her late husband has left her rich lands and properties. She has a son Ali and a daughter Rubab. Ali has done Masters in Fine Arts and organises painting exhibitions all over the country whereas Rubab wants to work after completing her MBA, but her mother wants to marry off her.
Emaan and Ali love each other but Tahir keeps a grudge in heart and emerges as a negative character in the serial. He is also interested in Emaan and hatches a conspiracy to clear his way by killing Ali. He makes a plan to go for hunting with Ali, on his agricultural land in Bahawal Nagar District, near Indo-Pak border. According to the plan, a gang of robbers attack them during their hunting and three of Ali?s guards/servants are killed while Ali, after being seriously injured, keeps on running towards the Indian border and crosses it unknowingly, and is arrested by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). Tahir comes back to Karachi and fabricates a false story about Ali?s death.
At the order of Ali?s mother, all her servants and peasants explore the land but can?t find Ali or his dead body. Ali, on the other hand, is admitted to a hospital in wounded conditions and, is accused of being the spy of Pakistan?s Intelligence Agencies. Despite being in the hospital, Ali is subjected to severe mental torture and forced to confess of being a spy, but he insists on claiming that he is a landlord of Bahawalnagar and has crossed the border by mistake in a desperate situation. With the passage of time, Ali recovers, under the custody of Indian Intelligence. One day, he is fascinated by the landscape and begins to draw it. This act causes upheaval and leads to further torture by the Indian Intelligence. They shift him to an unknown place after his release from the hospital.
Amar Singh, the Psychiatrist of the Intelligence Agency, advises the high command to hand Ali over to his custody. Amar Singh thinks that he can exploit Ali by making him sketch important places of Pakistan. So, Ali is shifted to the Out House of Singh?s official residence.
Tahir learns about Ali living in India and this causes a rift between him and Akram, another person responsible for Ali?s robbery. Finally, Ali returns to Pakistan and receives a warm welcome. Emaan, who is now the wife of Tahir and is pregnant, also faces extreme stress. Ali, too, is a victim of sheer strain and stress and gets outlet by making sketches.
After the arrival of Ali, Akram starts blackmailing Tahir and Ali comes to know about it through Tahir?s brother. He takes help from his friend Shafiq, the Senior Suprtendent of Police. Shafiq solves the case and Akram and Tahir are arrested. When Emaan comes to know about all this, she receives a severe shock and her pregnancy turns into a miscarriage and she takes divorce from her husband.
The launching ceremony of the serial was recently organised, in PTV where artists, writers, director, set designers and press and media people were gathered, followed by refreshments.

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Theatrics: Dar-ling liar

Nov 15th

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Set designer and theatrist Tanveer Abbas is all geared up to revive the theatre group he owes his career to —Creative Workshop (CW) — the brainchild of playwright and sculptor Anjum Ayaz who brought us many memorable plays of Manto back in the 1980s.

With many other interesting plays to be presented with a blend of old and new actors in 2010, Tanveer seems pretty focused on encouraging gate money this time. And he also seems quite confident that his plays will help revive the culture of buying tickets to see theatre.

Marc Camoletti’s Boeing Boeing’s adaptation is a reasonable choice for a start, though die-hard Napa Repertory theatre fans may not be able to take the shift easily. But then diversity is healthier than receding into redundancy.

Acted for the first time in 1960, the French classic, Boeing Boeing, was revived in London at the Comedy Theatre in 2007, also winning the best revival of a play award. The famous French playwright was undeniably known for writing some of the most hilarious farcical plays. Boeing Boeing went on to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for being performed the most around the world. The localised version, Meri Jaan, adapted into Urdu by Dr. Enver Sajjad who is the pioneer of modern Urdu fiction, comes to Pakistan a second time after being performed in Lahore back in 1986.

Though the current ensemble acting at the Karachi Arts Council theatre from Nov 6-20 seems fresh and vivacious, I can’t help imagine the beautiful Bindiya, the handsome Khayyam Sarhadi and the unforgivably comedic Khalid Abbas Dar sending the audience into ripples of laughter.
Funny indeed is the take off of Meri Jaan too, as Jamil (Faisal Qureshi) hovers around the bingeing Zarina (Mahvish Siddiq), waiting impatiently for her to leave for her next scheduled flight. Though Jamil’s patience is tested to the hilt until she leaves, his old friend, Rashid Dar from ‘Raawalpendi’ (Saquib Khan) lands in Jamil’s seaside apartment to meet his childhood (langotia yaar) friend. The story unfolds.

Jamil fills him in with details on his three-dimensional love life — three air hostesses working on three different international airlines; all three of them touching base with him at various time schedules and staying at his apartment. Professing his love to all three of them separately, Jamil’s key to success in steering clear of trouble are the timetable book that he keeps on the scheduled routes and his efficient maid, Buua (Afshan Qureshi) who quite amicably manages to keep the skeletons in the closet — that is until chaos ensues due to bad weather and reschedules.

The fact that all the actors seem quite niched in their roles —especially seasoned actor Faisal Qureshi who has the flirtatious looks to match Jamil’s lust for life (and a wife) — keeps Meri Jaan amusingly sustained. He has returned to stage after a lapse of almost 25 years. Though he seemed a little loud, perhaps he was trying to find the right voice pitch for stage which seems to have gone softer after years of doing television. “He’ll be fine,” said Dr Enver Sajjad at my observation. Did he also notice that as director?

Saquib Khan belongs to the Napa progeny that doesn’t fail audience expectations, and looked as paindu as was expected of him. The female characters of Zarina (Mahvish Siddiq), Najma (Zhalay Sarhadi) and Nargis (Aimen Tariq) generate no clear chemistry across, but they seemed to act the ‘dumb-blonde’ facet of their characters pretty well. Though smitten by Jamil’s charms, one of them eventually serves Jamil right back by dumping him for a millionaire cousin in London, while the other falls for the country cousin.

The backdrop with soft, peach-coloured walls brightened up the modern interiors though the seating arrangement left little space for the actors to move freely during acts. But Afshan Qureshi seemed to move around comfortably in her long white gharara.
Supporting the collective effort on clearing the ‘imposed depression’ we all live in today, three nights of the showing were reportedly bought by actor Sajid Hasan to urge more people to watch the play free of charge. That may not come across as a sure-fire way of sustaining theatre on gate money without any sponsors, an effort that the CW claims to be keen on imposing.

My two cents: why not subsidise the theatre ticket with sponsor or investor money to draw more crowds? That will increase the number of theatre goers and boost theatre culture in the city as well. A subsidised ticket will not be hard on their pockets.

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