Manto Ismat Hazir Hai - A Hindi Play By Naseeruddin Shah: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR MANTO ISMAT HAZIR HAI...

Renown Hindi play "Manto Ismat Hazir Hai" by Naseeruddin Shah is being staged at the Shilpa Kala Vedika on 15th June, as part of the Times Hyderabad Festival. The production, the second in Motley's intended series of presentation on stage of Hindustani stories, centres around the word 'obscence'. Two short stories, "Bu" (Odour) by Saadat Hasan Manto, and "Lihaaf" (The quilt) by Ismat Chughtai, for which the writers were, in the mid-1940s, accused of obscenity and put on trial in the Lahore High Court, will be presented, along with Ismat Apa's hilarious account of the trial called "In The Name Of Those Married Women", and another celebrated Manto story, "The Dog Of Titwal".

The stories are Bu, Titwal Ka Kutta, Lihaaf, Un Byaahtaon Ke Naam, and their respective storytellers are Ankur Vikal, Jameel Khan, Heeba Shah & Randeep Hooda.

Naseeruddin Shah still remembers his first lessons in theatre, saying, "As an artiste, I cannot tamper with the sacred literature I am using to enrich my medium. Script is my master and its service my only duty." No matter how many accomplishments adorn his long acting career, Shah never loses sight of the ground. Rooted in theatre, the legend consciously guards against using the performance space as a podium to show off talent. He regards himself as a facilitator of the medium and allows the story to guide him.

Entry to the event is by invitations. Please contact The Times Of India at 6527-7755 for invitations & further details.