Remember when we you were young? Remember your grandmother’s stories before you went to sleep at night? Remember the days when your forehead never wrinkled with worries? Seems long ago, right?
Relive those days by spending a couple of hours with Naseer-ud-din Shah and his family as they take you along a journey into Ismat Aapa’s land of fiction. Revisit that corner of innocence, which you did not know existed in your mind anymore. Come out and see the world in a new light, at least while the impact lasts. It’s been over 24 hours and I’m still feeling the impact – it’s a high in itself.
Okay, I have to digress here. Unfortunately, or rather sadly, I had not heard of Ismat Chughtai before. The loss was mine. Naseer-ud-din Shah begins the show with an introduction of Ismat Aapa and takes her name alongside O’ Henry.”That might be stretching it a little”, I thought to myself. I’ve read some of O’ Henry’s short stories, and they’re fascinating. But after listening to narrations of three of Ismat Aapa’s Indian, very earthy and captivating stories, I surrendered all my suspicion.
Ismat Aapa ke Naam is a collection of three stories, “Chui Mui”, “Mughal Baccha” and “Gharwali” narrated and acted by Heeba Shah, Ratna Pathak Shaah and Naseer-ud-din Shah, individually, one after the other. So it’s not your conventional play.
Ratna Pathak Shah –I always thought she was nice, but I would never really refer to her as a “beautiful” woman. But that was before this play. As she dresses up in unique attire, kajal in her eyes, and warmth in her persona I realized that this kind of “beauty” is priceless. Her narration of Mughal Baccha is so genuinely surreal.
Post interval is the master himself. Naseer-ud-din Shah has kept the most exciting story under his experienced hands. The expertise with which he conducts himself never stops amazing me. Such a master of his craft. Just look at his eyes – the depth, the experience, the skill, it’s all there. Also in his narration, be prepared to laugh
The lights, set design and background music is simple, yet so perfect.
I’m glad that I’m disproven in my hypothesis that famous actors make not so good plays. (Waiting for Godot, Salesman Ramlal, Kuch bhi ho sakta hai, The Blue Mug)
I’m glad that I could watch this play and experience the magic of Urdu – a truly charming language.
I’m glad I did so with the right people, followed it up with good food, and a solitary car ride home with Fuzon’s Aankhon ke Saagar.
8 comments:
Aptly put. And here I go on the record, for once I agree with most of the things you've written here. Ratna Pathak Shah be the idol throughout and post the play while Naseeruddin Shah be the love of one's life from the word go.
Now you know why reading aloud stories from THAT book on THAT Friday night allured me more than anything else!
This point onward (some months back for me), your life changes - for the better! :)
Glad! :)
@Romila - Thank you, I'm honoured :P
And you do agree with me more often than you think, but definitely first time on record :)
And THAT Friday night..you know, I was just pulling your leg.
Nice post....hope I get to watch the play some time!
This play is on at NCPA in may - however although naseer is directing it, there is a completely different cast and therefore I think i will give it a miss. I think it would be naseer and ratna who raise it to another level.
@Juhi - may be the one thats coming in May is Ismat Aapa ke Naam - Part 2
I know the part 2 has a different cast, I've not seen that one yet
Truly one of the best plays ive seen. Saw it when I was 16 with my parents, didn't grasp much of urdu back then, but I'm definitely going to watch it again. :)
@ Deepika, you actually watched this when you were 16! I'm proud of you :D
Next time you're (actually we're) in India we'll go for this :)
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