A Hindustani version of Begum Kudsia Zaidi’s “Aazar ka Khwaab” which is an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s classic romance, “Pygmalion”.

A Professor of phonetics, Azar takes up his good friend, Deendayal’s challenge to turn a fruit seller from the street, Hajjo into a Begum, a woman of consequence, charm and grace, fit to attend the elite gathering at the French Consulate. The challenge is successfully met and as the two friends celebrate their success, they hardly have a word of congratulation for Hajjo. Busy congratulating each other, they totally overlook Hajjo’s hardwork and diligence. Being thus ignored, hajjo is cut to the quick. She is aware that she has only been used. Completely unhappy at Aazar’s undeeling words and faced with a question mark about her own future; Hajjo leaves Aazar’s house. But no sooner has her absence been realised, Aazar begins to miss her presence and goes to the extent of reporting to the police in a bid to find her.

But having found her, there is no great reunion or reconciliation! Hajjo by now has had time to think and what follows is the classic battle between the creator and creation even as the creation threatens to become the creator herself! The age-old war of the sexes is given more profound voice out of their own individual emotional complexities.

Cast
Hajjo		Preeta Mathur
Azar		Dinesh Thakur
Din Dayal		Aman Gupta
Begum Bakar		Rajeeta Kochhar
Khursheed		Mahejabeen Raja
Fareed		Sunil Vyas
Annabi		Gargi Tripathi
Khairati		Atul Mathur
Phoopi Amma		Dolly Thakore
Khidmatgar		Arvind Koli
Passer Boys		Arvind Koli, Pravin Singh, Dheeresh, Pradip, Rohan & others
Taxi Driver		Rakesh Singh
Credits
Lights Operation		Chandan Arya, Aman Gupta
Music & Effects		Dheeresh
Set Construction		Pravin Bansode (Stage Vision)
Furniture Suppliers		Shah Decorators
Make-Up		Sunil Joshi
Publicity Stills		Kuku Chawhan
Back Stage		Chandan, Syed, Arvind
Stage Manager		Rakesh Singh & Pravin Ranglani
Script, Design & Direction – Dinesh Thakur

Peopled by many colorful characters, this is also Shaw’s pithy comment on the hypocrisies of the elitist class and their false value systems. The sets, costumes and Begum Zaidi’s rich, sophisticated Urdu create a beautiful aura even as the director makes a point of highlighting the ongoing unbecoming controversy over language.

Dadras used in the play are sung by Begum Akhtar and the Qwawali written by Amir Khusro is sung by Jafar Hussain Khan Badayuni and party.