Ismat Aapa Ke Naam Part 2 play review , Hindi play review

	Direction : Naseeruddin Shah Cast : Manoj Pahwa, Lovleen Misra and Seema Pahwa
Ismat Aapa Ke Naam Part 2 play review

MTG editorial

Host-A-Performance | Schedules

Indian Urdu writer, Ismat Chughtai, was truly a liberated woman for her time and age. The idea behind Motley's one-man/ woman performances in this production is to provide an authentic experience of one of the sub-continent's most profound female writers.

Amar Bel is performed by Manoj Pahwa. Th story traces the second marriage of a 50-year-old man to a woman, who is young enough to be his daughter. While this sends him from apprehension to ecstasy, he soon begins to emotionally abuse her as she only gets younger and more beautiful while he ages ungracefully.

Isn't there always that one crazy old lady whom all the neighbours abhor? The second story, Nanhi Ki Naani, is enacted by Lovleen Misra, who takes on every character from Nanhi, the 'muhallawaale' to Naani with heart wrenching conviction. The story is a metaphorical portrayal of society's brutal nature towards a poor yet proud woman, who has lost everyone she cares for and still dares to go on. Misra's narration is brilliant as we laugh, cry and witness in solitude the attitude of people who can be heartless.

Most of the production might seem a bit tragic, but as Seema Pahwa enters narrating Do Haath, the stage suddenly brightens with laughter. Ram Avtar goes to serve in the army for three years leaving behind his doting mother and wife but returns to also find a one-year-old boy. You can do the math!

Motley has done it again. Firstly, the idea of performing these short stories as monologues is ingenious as the audience truly gets to enjoy Chughtai's works in their original form and language. Secondly, using seasoned actors who are quite known in television and in film, constructs familiarity.

There wasn't a vacant seat in the audience; some enthusiasts chose the stairs, making me wonder about the audience pull, if it was the result of genuine interest in the work of Ismat Chugtai or was it because of Motley's association with it?

Doesn't matter, does it? Writers like Chugtai cannot be forgotten. If it takes one big thespian to revive them, we should hope that Motley continues to use its 'pull' to re-introduce many more superlative stories from our Literature.

*A.Khan is a Mumbai based writer and blogger.

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