Spotlight: Gender inequality

The Thespianz Theatre group performs at the Goethe-Institut.

KARACHI:

Gender inequality in society leads to unfair restrictions and limits human potential. Keeping this theme in mind, Give Me A Breath, a Thespianz Theatre production, was staged in the auditorium of the Goethe-Institut on the evening of May 19.

Stressing the need for equal rights for everyone, the play revolves around a pair of siblings. The brother, Bilal (played by Kashif Farhad), does not allow his sister Zoya (played by Monazza Fatima Naqvi) the right to work, and even dissuades her from marrying the love of her life, Aryan (enacted by Alamgir Khan).

Bilal himself, however, has no means of earning a living, but often promises Zoya that his acting skills will help him launch a career on TV. Bilal fails miserably at this career possibility, and when the landlord Salim Bhai (nicely enacted by Tajdar) turns up furious, threatening to do harm if Bilal fails to pay the rent. With twists and turns, Zoya somehow manages to pay the rent. Only then does Bilal realise the true worth of his sister.

Hina Nafees, the playwright, while talking to The Express Tribune said: “When I wrote Give Me A Breath, I found the inspiration in the society we all dwell in. Inequality breeds in it, and this should not accepted by the educated lot.”

Faisal Malik, the director, while talking about why he chose the script, said: “Gender inequality is a basic issue affecting the IDP’s residing in the suburbs of Karachi. This we came to know when we visited the refugee camps. Women are suffering greatly on this front and we thought this play will project the aspects that we are trying to bring forth and help us raise our voices against it.”

“Nice,” said Arifa Kaleem, who was part of the audience, when asked as to how she found the play. And truly, the play was a good effort, but to be truly great it required far more effort in the acting department. If the actors fared well anywhere, it was when the music was on and they were displaying their dance moves. Tajdar, however, should be credited for his skills, but trouble with the fake moustache he was sporting (it was partially coming off) made him nervous for a brief moment, and threw the audience in fits of wild laughter.

The play was part of ‘On the fringe of society’, which is a project of Goethe Institut for young IDP’s, targeting those who have been affected by the flood. Approximately 20 youngsters will be given the basic education in film making and theatre. This play was the pilot project of the project that will be in progression over the next two years.

“The objective of our endeavours is to enable young Pakistanis to explore their creative abilities in different fields of culture,” said Dr Markus Litz, Director of Goethe-Institut. “There is such an immense potential amongst young people in Pakistan, we only need to show more awareness and respect towards those who are marginalised within the society.”



Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2011.