Theatre play ‘Rahu’ to run at PNCA, Islamabad

Punjabi theatre adaptation of Ryunosuke Akutagawa story to run at PNCA

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Council of the Arts  (PNCA) is set to host theatre play Rahu on Friday.

A Faheem Muzzafar directorial, the Punjabi play is set during the rise of Ranjit Singh in the Mughal period. However, the drama only uses the historic setting as a backdrop that does not contribute to the narrative at large.

It is an adaptation of a story from Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s works. Akutagawa is known for masterpieces such as Fool’s Life, Death Register and Kappa.

Rahu explores the mystery surrounding a murder case and an alleged rape from three different vantage points.

“The play revolves around the relativity of the truth. How in this day and age, truth and false, right and wrong are extremes that are seldom understood and agreed upon by everyone,” explained Shah Fahad, producer and writer of the play. “The light of truth fails to reach mankind and people are left with choices that are pertinent to their survival, regardless of their moral implications.”

DramaED, the banner under which Rahu is being made, has produced more than 20 plays in Lahore since 2013. In Islamabad, this play is their third outing, following Akkar Bakkar and Muzakar Muanas.

“Our plays have always been unique because of their unconventional storylines, relevant humour and exceptional performances,” added Fahad, promising yet another gripping tale and quality acting from the cast. The producer is quite optimistic about the success of the play and believes that Rahu offers a unique experience. “Theatre enthusiasts go for anything that has quality entertainment and a solid script. We have proved our worth on both these fronts in all our productions hence our fans are growing in number.”

The cast of Rahu may be young and new, but each actor is determined to prove their capabilities. “The character of Jagga Singh Soora was a great challenge for me as it required extensive preparation. The character and I had nothing in common but I believe that’s where the real job of an actor begins,” shared Alee Hassan Shah, one of the cast members. Fahad, on the other hand, believes the actors are an asset for the entertainment industry at large. “Thanks to their training, theatre artists have the ability to excel in other mediums like television and film,” Fahad said.

Maham Tussadaq, who will be seen essaying the role of a witch in the play, is equally excited. “It has been a phenomenal experience so far,” she said. “I have met amazing people and, more than anything else, got the chance to learn so much. I wouldn’t trade this time for the world.”

Rahu will run for three days from Friday onwards. Passes are available at Classic Rock Café in F-6, Super Market, Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2016.

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