Full house for Kambakht Bilkul Aurat - a tribute to feminists of Awadh

Kambakht Bilkul Aurat was an apt tribute to the Sanatkada Festival’s tribute this year to the feminists of Awadh. Based on three short stories by Awadh’s very own Ismat Chughtai, the play comprising three short acts – Amar Bel, Nanhi ki Nani and Do Haath – made people think and laugh aloud, at the same time.
The queue for the play began to form at least an hour before the schedules time as avid play-goers wanted to take up seats with a vantage view.The venue though wasn’t the best for theatre, as the honking of horns disturbed the audience and the actors, as did the mosquitoes that were expected at an outdoor venue like this. But the performances of actors Manoj Pahwa, Lovleen Misra and Seema Pahwa, salvaged the day, as they captivated the audience with their perfect diction and Urdu, adding to Ismat’s beautiful art of storytelling. And in true Lakhnawi style, the audience knew when to appreciate a joke with laughter, and when to smile at the writer’s sarcasm. A lot of guests who were hoping to see the director of the play, Naseeruddin Shah at the venue, were disppointed as the Bollywood actor gave Lucknow a miss this time.