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Urdu Academy opens 36th drama festival with ‘Umrao Jaan’
The Urdu Academy, Delhi, opened its 36th Urdu Drama Festival at Shri Ram Centre on November 13.
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The Urdu Academy, Delhi, began its six-day 36th Urdu Drama Festival at Shri Ram Centre, Mandi House, on November 13. The festival, running until November 18, is being organised under the Delhi government’s Department of Art, Culture and Languages. It aims to promote Urdu language and culture, sustain the theatre tradition and provide artistic expression to social issues.
At the opening, host Malik Ashtar spoke about the history of Urdu drama and Parsi theatre, and the literary and cultural importance of the stage.
The opening day featured ‘Umrao Jaan’, presented by Theatre Leela Acting Studio and Performing Arts Society. Directed by Varun Sharma, the production is based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s well-known novel ‘Umrao Jan Ada’. The performance began with the popular film song ‘In Aankhon Ki Masti’.
The musical drama unfolded across around 20 scenes, with five principal characters and more than 20 supporting roles. Music and songs were used to convey different emotional states, including love, pain, happiness and grief. Urdu poetry was another feature of the production. The performers also presented Khwaja Haider Ali Aatish’s ghazal ‘Gul Aa Tujhe Gul Ke Rubaru Karte Hain’.
The production used flashbacks to move between Umrao Jaan’s present and her past. As she recounts her life to Nawab Sahib, earlier events are brought to the stage through separate scenes.
The story follows Amiran, a wealthy girl from Faizabad who is separated from her family due to circumstances and reaches a kotha in Lucknow. She later becomes known as Umrao Jaan. The play depicts her relationships, struggles and separation, alongside the social circumstances that shape her life.
At the end of the performance, Urdu Academy secretary Lekhraj, along with Haroon Hussaini and Uzair Hasan Quddusi, presented a plant to director Varun Sharma and appreciated his artistic efforts.
