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    SOME KATHA COLLAGE AND A WALK IN THE WOODS WITH NASEERUDDIN SHAH

    Written by: Salma Chaudhry
    Posted on: December 16, 2013 | | 中文

    “One day, all these trees will be cut down and turned into negotiating tables.” The satire in this line was perhaps the crux of the story A Walk in the Woods performed at Alhamra, in Lahore. Ironically, the very road the theatre is located on, i.e. the Mall Road, has witnessed massive displays of banners and portraits to accord rousing salutations to leaders coming here for negotiations that have never yielded any results. Failed Negotiations: this was the theme of legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah’s latest stage performance in the cultural capital.

    The news that Naseeruddin Shah and his theatre group, Motley Theatre, would be returning in December to the provincial metropolis of Punjab, on the invitation of the Faiz Foundation Trust, spread like wildfire. Shah was to grace the stage at Alhamra on the 5th of December and the tickets were sold out days before the curtain-up. The Hall was fully packed and the audiences, both young and old, waited in anxious anticipation of the star’s appearance.

    The curtains went up exactly at 7:00, as two actors took to a dramatically designed stage.  The play was an adaptation of Lee Blessing’s 1988 play A Walk in the Woods that revolved around the liaison between an American envoy and his Soviet counterpart just before the onset of the Cold War. But the story in this play centered on the dialogue between a sober Indian diplomat Ram Chinappa (Rajit Kapur), and his cynical Pakistani counterpart Jamaluddin Lutfullah (Naseeruddin Shah), which blooms over a period of six months, during their clandestine talks and walks together in the woods of Geneva, Switzerland. The play brought humour to a story that was analogous to the troubling India-Pakistan relations, touching upon sensitive themes with a touch of wit here and there. The relationship between the two diplomats was interesting with its subtle – and not so subtle – nuances, and the plot marked their struggle to reach a consensus on a proposal to “bring about peace and prosperity in the region.”

    Shah’s character was cynical, dapper and charming, good with words, and knew how to divert the subject matter. On the other hand, his Indian counterpart was straightforward, proper, isolated and devoted to the cause of a successful conciliation. Chinappa would try to bring Lutfullah back to the proposal but Lutfullah would strive to convince him to do some “Khurafati baatein (pointless discussion)” because according to him, “dialogues have never had and will never produce any results”. The two diplomats experience an array of sentiments throughout the play which was spread over four parts and their brilliant acting created an enchanted atmosphere in the auditorium where you could see the audiences absolutely immersed in the restrained and hard-hitting humour delivered with impeccable flair and grace.  

    Through blithe and moving scenes alike, the actors made the viewers laugh on one hand, and left them thinking about the shallow political resolve of the two governments on the other. The play was both entertaining and thought provoking, bringing out the best of two great actors.

    Motley’s second performance Katha Collage was due on the 7th and 8th of December and the same hall was thronged with people once again. The collage consisted of an anthology of narratives elaborating upon the theme of human relationships (and how they evolve); the first two stories Badebhai Sahab (Elder Brother) and Shatranj Ke Khiladi (Chess players) were penned by Munshi Premchand and the last, Sankraman, performed by Naseeruddin Shah himself, was by the writer Kamtanath. The three stories intertwined together didn’t have a direct correlation but they were all sly spoofs of the transition that human behaviors, as well as the relationships, undergo over the varying epochs and state of affairs. The notable fact about these performances was that the audience could relate to the characters at so many levels because of the inimitable sub-continental appeal to them. Shah’s performance was the highlight of the evening and by the end of it all, the Motley team got an earnest standing ovation from the crowd. 

    Naseeruddin Shah thanked the audience and the Faiz Foundation Trust, insisting that the peace efforts between India and Pakistan should endure. Referring to the scrumptious food of Lahore and the warmth of Lahoris, he said that visiting the city was always a reminder for him of why Lahore was known as the heart and soul of Punjab.

    Both the Motley Group and the Faiz Foundation Trust must be eulogized for their efforts in bringing the Indian theatre to Pakistan. It is endeavors like these which give some hope that the two will one day realize the value of peace, as Faiz says in these beautiful lines:

    Hum ke thehrey ajnabi itni madaraatoon ke baad

    Phir banaingai aashnaa kitni mulaqatoon ke baad

    Kab nazar main aaey ge be-dagh sabzey ki bahar

    Khoon ke dhabbey dhulain gain kitni barsaatoon ke baad


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021