Life lessons: ‘Horn De Ke Pass Karo’ must not be passed

Despite clichéd message, I.R Omar’s play reinforces family values, cultural beliefs through power-packed...

KARACHI: There have been quite a few films that criticise the bachelor lifestyle, and suggest a life of monogamy and marriage. All good! But the narrative is so rehashed that it rarely has an impact. From that aspect, I.R Omar’s Horn De Ke Pass Karo offers nothing new for the youngsters. It reinforces the belief of parents who wish their children would settle down at the earliest possible age.

The play, an adaptation of Neil Simon’s first play Come Blow Your Horn (1961) by Mujtaba Rizvi was staged on Thursday as part of the Karachi Theater Festival. While Rizvi cannot be accused of a hackneyed storyline, it can be argued that emotional emptiness of a playboy lifestyle is like an idiom that has become part of the vocabulary in a way that one does not even notice it anymore.

However, what makes the play worth watching is that, despite the clichéd message, Rizvi’s script offers a concise narrative with little to no redundancies. Nonetheless, the main credit goes to the actors for elevating the play with powerful performances.

Tipu (Haris Khan), a 21-year-old virgin, leaves his home to go live with his elder brother Ali (Ahmer Hussain) who works at their father’s utensils factory but never lets business interfere with a good time. While Tipu is a scared ‘mama’s boy’, Ali lives the life of a bachelor and is seen partying all the time. He agrees to teach his younger brother a few tricks by revamping his wardrobe and introducing him to his female friends. What follows is utter chaos with drama ensuing between all the family members and Ali’s multiple girlfriends.

While the entire cast did fairly well, it was Tipu and his father (Owais Mubashir) who stole the show. Tipu, with his loose suspenders and pants almost touching his chest, and grandpa glasses, did not only look the part but delivered a nuanced performance which made the show memorable. His versatility showed when he changed his character mid-play after becoming a certified playboy, thanks to his brother’s guidance.

It’s interesting to find him taking his brother’s place while Ali changes for the better and quits the lifestyle he imparted upon his brother.

Mubashir delivers an equally power-packed performance in a supporting role. It is not just the dialogue delivery that takes their performances to another level but rather the detailing of each other and a distinct characterisation as well.

Getting all its theatrical elements in place, Horn De Ke Pass Karo should be applauded for being a complete package of a show. The play serves as a good family drama which can be enjoyed more than once.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2016.

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