From Lahore with love

Inspired by a real life incident, this Habib Tanvir play Jin Lahore Nahin Dekhya Woh Janmeya Nahin, set in the 1940s takes off from the death of an old woman whose passing away triggers a series of violent incidents. Brought to the city by Bhopal-based group Naya Theatre, the troupe has performed the play over 500 times since 1997.
Says director Ramachandra Singh, “Although the play has been staged several times across the country, and a few times in Bangalore, the demand for this play is really high.“ The Urdu play hinges around the death of an old Punjabi Hindu woman who was left behind in Lahore after the Partition.Not willing to leave her house in Lahore allotted to her by one Sikandar Mirza, the old lady, only known as Jagmai (universal mother) continues to lead a peaceful existence with the Mirzas until her death. The question of her last rites -whether her body should be burnt and buried -triggers a heated debate and even leads the local goons to kill the maulvi.
Written by Asghar Wajahat, the play was produced by Habib Tanvir.
“This story is based on an actual incident in Lahore which was reported in a Delhi daily, Pratap,“ Singh informs us over a phone conversation from Bhopal. Incidentally, the play comes to town two months after the fifth death anniversary of the director.
One of the reasons Singh cites for having brought down this play is the relevance it has even today. Pointing to the violent scenes that come alive on stage, Singh says that it is similar to situations being witnessed today.
That is one reason why the play is open only for those above the age of 12. “The characters and the dialogues heighten the intensity and profundity of the subject,“ says Singh about the two-hour play.
The “minimal props“ that the play makes use of is compensated by the intense script which has made use of poetry by contemporary Urdu poets and ghazals by popular Pakistani poet, Nasir Kazmi and Amrita Pritam. The live music score makes use of the harmo nium, dholak, tabla and manjira.
The play is being brought to the city by Bangalore Little Theatre to celebrate 25 years of Visthar. “Not only do we want to pay tribute to one of the most well-known theatre directors of all time in the country, but the intention is also to highlight some burning issues,“ says Shashank Purushotham from BLT.
Whether it is the question of human rights or social issues -Purushotham says that although times may have changed, some of the issues that Tanvir has touched upon are pressing matters even today. The play depicts both humanity's inclination to “violent fanaticism“ as well as the “enduring capacity for compassion for fellow beings regardless of creed“.
Here's a play which tries to break fences and build bridges.