Reviving folklore: Mirza, Sahibaan spellbound audience at PNCA
Lok Theatre group tries to rekindle charm of forgotten fabled love stories.
A total of nine scenes were selected for this performance out of the 32 original scenes depicting one of the four Punjabi tragic romances. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
To rekindle the charm of forgotten folklore traditions, a play emulating the fabled love story “Mirza Sahibaan” was staged at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Friday and Saturday.
Famous folk narrator Fazal Ashiq Jutt and his crew of film and stage actors performed in sync as they captivated the audience with a combination of lively narration and animated mime. Fazal said that his late father Ashiq Jutt had established Lok Theatre in the country following the partition of the Indian Subcontinent.
All the folk narratives used by the Ashiq Jutt Lok Theatre group were originally compiled by Ashiq Jutt himself. Based in Lahore, the group has travelled across the globe with their folkloric ensembles and garnered recognition for the ancient craft.
With his powerful stage presence and baritone voice, Fazal rendered the popular tragic romance in a lyrical manner.
The play revolves around the charismatic Mirza (Sher Ashiq Jutt) who falls in love with the young and beautiful Sahibaan (Laila Malik) who belongs to Sial.
Mirza’s father is Wanjhal (Anwar Khan). Other main characters include Sahibaan’s father (Zahir Shah) and Mirza’s sister, Chatti (Qainat Khan).
Wanjhal is a landlord of a town in what is now Faisalabad. Mirza is sent to his paternal uncle’s house in Khivan to study, where he meets Sahiban and they fall in love. When, later in life, Sahibaan is to be wedded off into the Chander family, she writes a letter to Mirza.
Mirza’s sister dissuades him from trying to rescue Sahibaan, as it is the day of her own wedding and she wants her brother to be there and warns him of the aggressive nature of the Sials. However, Mirza pays no heed and carries Sahiban away on his mare, Bucky.
When Sahibaan’s brothers find out, they set out to find the couple. Meanwhile, Mirza decides to take a nap on the way and lies under the shade of a tree, resting on Sahibaan’s lap.
Aware of Mirza’s spotless archery skills, Sahibaan is apprehensive that if her brothers arrive, they might get killed at Mirza’s hands. To avert such a situation, she breaks his arrows. When her brothers and the Chanders arrive on the scene, she stands between them and her beloved. When Mirza awakens, he fights the gang but is soon overpowered and the couple dies together.
The thematic stage with its situational music and narration exuded a rustic feel. From subtle expression to lively dance performances, the play kept one mesmerised through its many acts. Alam Fateh selected a total of nine scenes for this performance out of the original 32 scenes of the play. The music selections were based on Raag Bhairwi with seven-beat cycles.
The events of the story are believed to have taken place around the time of the Mughal King Akbar. The geographical area where it happened was between the rivers Ravi and Chenab in Khiwa village, near present day Jhang.
PNCA Director Performing Arts Department Waqar Haneef said the performance is a part of the project initiated to revive the ancient folk traditions of Pakistan. He added that the project aims to hold performances of folk stories and music from across the country to promote the rich traditional heritage and introduce culture to the new generation.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2015.
To rekindle the charm of forgotten folklore traditions, a play emulating the fabled love story “Mirza Sahibaan” was staged at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Friday and Saturday.
Famous folk narrator Fazal Ashiq Jutt and his crew of film and stage actors performed in sync as they captivated the audience with a combination of lively narration and animated mime. Fazal said that his late father Ashiq Jutt had established Lok Theatre in the country following the partition of the Indian Subcontinent.
All the folk narratives used by the Ashiq Jutt Lok Theatre group were originally compiled by Ashiq Jutt himself. Based in Lahore, the group has travelled across the globe with their folkloric ensembles and garnered recognition for the ancient craft.
With his powerful stage presence and baritone voice, Fazal rendered the popular tragic romance in a lyrical manner.
The play revolves around the charismatic Mirza (Sher Ashiq Jutt) who falls in love with the young and beautiful Sahibaan (Laila Malik) who belongs to Sial.
Mirza’s father is Wanjhal (Anwar Khan). Other main characters include Sahibaan’s father (Zahir Shah) and Mirza’s sister, Chatti (Qainat Khan).
Wanjhal is a landlord of a town in what is now Faisalabad. Mirza is sent to his paternal uncle’s house in Khivan to study, where he meets Sahiban and they fall in love. When, later in life, Sahibaan is to be wedded off into the Chander family, she writes a letter to Mirza.
Mirza’s sister dissuades him from trying to rescue Sahibaan, as it is the day of her own wedding and she wants her brother to be there and warns him of the aggressive nature of the Sials. However, Mirza pays no heed and carries Sahiban away on his mare, Bucky.
When Sahibaan’s brothers find out, they set out to find the couple. Meanwhile, Mirza decides to take a nap on the way and lies under the shade of a tree, resting on Sahibaan’s lap.
Aware of Mirza’s spotless archery skills, Sahibaan is apprehensive that if her brothers arrive, they might get killed at Mirza’s hands. To avert such a situation, she breaks his arrows. When her brothers and the Chanders arrive on the scene, she stands between them and her beloved. When Mirza awakens, he fights the gang but is soon overpowered and the couple dies together.
The thematic stage with its situational music and narration exuded a rustic feel. From subtle expression to lively dance performances, the play kept one mesmerised through its many acts. Alam Fateh selected a total of nine scenes for this performance out of the original 32 scenes of the play. The music selections were based on Raag Bhairwi with seven-beat cycles.
The events of the story are believed to have taken place around the time of the Mughal King Akbar. The geographical area where it happened was between the rivers Ravi and Chenab in Khiwa village, near present day Jhang.
PNCA Director Performing Arts Department Waqar Haneef said the performance is a part of the project initiated to revive the ancient folk traditions of Pakistan. He added that the project aims to hold performances of folk stories and music from across the country to promote the rich traditional heritage and introduce culture to the new generation.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2015.