The 18-day National Drama Festival- 2011 comprising 22 different theatre performances by experienced theatre group productions from across the country concluded here on Thursday night with a stage play called Khawab Biktay Nahe. The last of these plays was produced by Super Vision Communication, Islamabad.
The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) had organised the theatre festival to promote theatrical art and artistes. Several theatre groups from Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Skardu, Muzzafarabad, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rawalpindi/ Islamabad participated in the festival.
The theatre gala ended with Khawab Biktay Nahe, it was written by Farheen Chaudhary that portrayed the role of a selfish person who would exploit others for personal gains by hook or by crook. But ultimately, his conscience keeps him taunting all his remaining life what he has done with others is in fact not better for his life and even the life after death.
Directed by Muhammad Sabir Khan, the play also highlighted the menace of corruption that plagues the society. The play gives the message that short-term happiness for an individual cannot be beneficial for a person if he exploits the rights of others.
The strong script, quality acting performance, and dialogue delivery, coupled with a good set design and costumes received immense applaud from a huge audience at the PNCA’s main auditorium.
The other stage plays included in the festival were ‘Aakhri Shikaar’ written by Ghulam Hassan Hasni and directed by Batin Farooqi for ‘Gilgit-Baltistan Art promoters’ (Islamabad), ‘Diwana Bakaar-e-Khwesh Hoshiyar’ written by Rafi Pir and directed by Malik Aslam from Azad Theatre Lahore, ‘Shadi ho to aisi’ written and directed by Syed Saleem Afandi of Stage Artistes Welfare Society Rawalpindi, ‘Jallad’ written and directed by William Pervez of Pattan Lok Natak Rawalpindi, ‘Watt Nakhray’ written and directed by Chaudhry Mehmood of Rohi Rung Welfare Society DG Khan, ‘Bandhan’ written by ZA Zulfi and directed by Tahir Siddiqui of Islamabad Art Promoters, ‘Raasta’ written by Pervaiz John and directed by Saeed Anwar from The Entertainers Rawalpindi, ‘Dunia ki beti ranjeeda hay’ written and directed by Ishtiak Atish of Chanar Arts Council Muzaffarabad and ‘Sultan-e-Hind written and directed by Javed Bhatti of Aaina Theatre Islamabad.
The theatre gala also included ‘Saanp’ written and directed by Javed Babar of JB Productions, Peshawar, ‘Teri jaan ki qasam’ written and directed by Asma Butt of Dolphin Communications Rawalpindi, ‘ChandBibi.com’ written by Ishaq Nazish and directed by Aslam Rana from Aslam Rana Productions Rawalpindi, ‘Shehr-e-Napursaan’ written and directed by AD Baloch of Sangat Theatre Quetta, ‘Insha Ka Intizar’ written and directed by Anwar Jaffri from Tehrik-e-Niswan Karachi, ‘Aisa kion hota hay’ written by M Sharif and directed by Razia Malik of Dream International Welfare Society Lahore, and ‘Ishq’ written by Muhammad Farhan Mughal and directed by Ziauddin Zia of Friends Productions, Islamabad. ‘Pani Pani Ray’ and ‘Zameen Maa Hy’ from Art and Reality Productions Islamabad and Ali Kazim Golden Productions Skardu were staged on December 25.
‘Gathri’ written by Muhammad Aslam Mughal and directed by Afzaal Latifi of Evergreen Theatre Rawalpindi, ‘Hum Aik Hain’ written and directed by Riffat Ali Qaisar of Bhutto Shaheed Cultural Forum Rawalpindi, ‘Amreeka Chalo’ written by Shahid Mehmood Nadeem and directed by Madiha Gohar of Ajoka Theatre Lahore, were also concluded in the National Drama Festival-2011.
The festival commenced on 12 December 2011, presenting a new play everyday before the packed hall of the PNCA auditorium at 7:00 pm. The even was organised by Pakistan National Council of the Arts, which fetched attendance of more than twenty thousand people from the twin cities including youngsters, parents and families to witness elegant drama performances by professional theatrics from all around the country highlighting varied social issues of national importance through dramatic instruments.
The 22 best plays, selected by the selection committee out of a large number of scripts, discussed various socio-political issues and presented diverse subjects depicting folk and traditional values of the society, amongst them, some very serious and sensitive issues that were addressed through different degrees of satire.
PNCA Director General (DG) Tauqir Nasir told this scribe that the tradition of theatre went back to 8,000 years in the subcontinent and Indus Valley civilisation promoted and nurtured drama, music and dance as a way of expressing a variety of human emotions.
“It was an opportunity for the youth to explore the concepts and styles of traditional and contemporary stage artists while most of these dramas were relevant to the society in terms of entertainment, education and other factors,” Nasir added.
He said the festival was an effort to acknowledge the excellent work of those drama groups and put on stage some good plays depicting current social problems while proving a rich entertainment at the same time. That, he said, has become difficult in the present commercial milieu, the DG added. He further said that the festival was aimed to strengthen the movement for promoting real theatre and elevating drama in the country and that he was sure that the response of the audience to the festival was highly appreciative and it really ‘oxygenated’ the artists as well as the council to keep up the efforts for raising the role of drama in social development.
