Ajoka's latest festival takes us down bloodied 'Partition' memory lane

Play depicts the nightmarish world of three guilt ridden sceptres who lived through 1947 and 1948

LAHORE: Ajoka’s three-day festival continued for the second day with a powerful adaptation of Intezar Hussain’s short story Shehr-i-Afsos. The play depicts the nightmarish world of three guilt ridden sceptres who lived through the bloodied times of both 1947 and 1971.

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The festival titled ‘Revisiting 70 years of Partition’ opened with the performance of critically acclaimed play Kaun hai yeh Gustakh on October 10 which enthralled the audience completely, stated a press release.

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Written by Ajoka’s executive director Shahid Nadeem, and helmed by artistic director Madeeha Gauhar the play focuses on Saadat Hassan Manto’s life struggle after his migration to Pakistan in 1948. Enactments of his short stories Siyah Hashiye, Khol Do, Thanda Gosht and Toba Tek Singh depict the horrors of the violence which accompanied Partition.

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In her inaugural speech, Gauhar expressed how painful events occurred at the time of Partition which inspired authors to write compelling stories on both sides of the border.

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This festival presents selected stories through which the audience can witness the human suffering due to the forced mass migration.

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It will conclude with a performance of Anhi Maai da Sufna on October 12, Nadeem's play inspired by true stories of the generation dislocated and tormented by the Partition. The play has been directed by prominent Kolkata-based theatre director Usha Ganguly.

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Nadeem said that the Partition Festival has been a great success and will be followed by other plays marking the 70th anniversary of independence.

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