Page 329

Feudal lords from Lahore…

DIWAN SINGH BAJELI

“Uchchiyan Mijajan Wali”, a popular play from Pakistan, provided humour with a dash of faith.



WIT AND WISDOM A scene from the play.

“Uchchiyan Mijajan Wali” in Punjabi, which was presented by Dolphin Communication Theatre, Lahore (Pakistan) at Shri Ram centre recently under the auspices of Punjabi Academy, Delhi, is a play that belongs to performers. It provides enough room to the actors to improvise. The story line leaves much space for them to display their histrionic craft.

Despite its indictment of a feudal society that considers noble sentiments of love as a mere commodity, the dominant mood of the production is that of hilarity, frequently verging on burlesque. The sources of humour are dialogues spiced with colloquial wit, pun which are actor’s own inventions and exposure of pompous and hypocrite feudal lord. The unique styles of playing on words are mainly intended to offer ‘light entertainment’ to the audience. This has nothing to to do with the growth of characters.
The execution

The play is directed and written by Asma Butt. There are two locales – the room of a nautch-girl and the house of Choudhary – a feudal lord – who is determined to perpetuate his inhuman legacy. Defying his father’s wish, landlord’s son goes to town to study. When he comes back there is a conflict between the son and the father. The playwright also tries to create a love triangle. To humanise the socially disgraceful life of a nautch-girl, some elements from the life of Bulleh Shah, the greatest Sufi poet of Punjab who is revered by all communities for his pure life and high spiritual attainments, have been incorporated into the script. The way songs and dances are interspersed makes the production captivating, despite the fact that the conflict was not allowed to become intense and resolved in a hurry. The box set creates the right ambience and the costumes impart colour to the production.

The play has already 22 shows in different towns of Pakistan. This writer is told that for Indian production the comic element has been diluted and serious artistic elements have been incorporated to convey deep spiritual meaning of human love as embodies in the teachings of Bulleh Shah.

This is the first visit of the group to India. The group has been invited to stage Aj Aakhan Waris Shah Noon at National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav to be held in January, 2008 in New Delhi.

Amjad Rana and Zulfi as the servants of landlord are the cynosure of all eyes. As comic actors they reveal an impressive voice control coupled with the mercurial temperament of their characters and skillful use of gags. Zoya Khan as Dulari, the nautch-girl, in love with the son of the landlord, displays her talent as dancer. A self-taught artist, her dance numbers are characterised by range and variety of movements which have vitality and spontaneity. Suleman Sunny as the rebel son of the landlord and Zoya carry off their scenes effectively with emotional touch. Mazhoor Malik as Choudhary, the landlord, Aslam Mughal as Munshi, Rukhsan Khan as the fiancée of the landlord’s son and Iffat Choudhary as Phuphi give impressive performances.