Urdu Theatre Festival honours Ismat Chughtai by enacting her play Chauthi ka Joda

As part of the annual

Urdu

Theatre Festival, Jashn-e-Darpan, hosted by the Darpan Theatre in association with the Department of Language & Culture, Government of Telangana, an Urdu play by Ismat Chughtai called Chauthi ka Joda was presented.

On Thursday,

Ravindra Bharathi

saw Captain SN Ahmed enact the role of Manto, while Seema Khan essayed the role of Ismat Chughtai. The play was written by Suhas Bhatnagar and directed by Ali Ahmed. Every year, the festival picks an Urdu writer to present their stories and this year, it was the fierce author who was much ahead of her times; who was picked.

The tragic story of Chauthi ka Joda criticises the hypocrisy of the superstitions and customs forced on by society. The story revolves around a widow named Bi Amma, who lives in near-penury with her two young daughters, Kubra and Hamidah. The story focuses on the widow’s obsession to get Kubra married as soon as possible and the terrible outcome of the same. The obsession intensifies when her brother’s son Rahat comes to live with them.

Captain Ahmed has been playing Manto ever since the first play Manto ke Afsaaney and this year too; he nailed the character with élan. He showed a whole new side of Manto when he wouldn’t sulk or drink to avoid situations. Seema Khan as the fierce feminist Ismat complemented Ahmed and the chemistry was received well by the audience.

The show celebrated the writer who is an epitome of women empowerment in literary writing, the grand doyenne of Urdu fiction and an icon that fought for the right to Freedom of Speech. Chughtai is considered as one of the four pillars of modern Urdu short stories who remained an important voice almost till she passed away. Her work fits into no pre-conceived mould and her protagonists stood out from the ordinary. Her outspoken approach jolted regressive minds and the rebellious themes she explored raised eyebrows. Chughtai established herself as a significant woman literary voice in the 20th century and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976.