Written by: Farheen Abdullah
Posted on: March 20, 2019 | 
| 中文
(L-R) Sara Bhatti, Hina Rizvi, Yasir Taj, Asad Gujjar and Yasir Hussain
Anwar Maqsood has paired up with KopyKats Productions once more for his 8th theatrical project at the Arts Council, Karachi. It comes as no surprise that the ongoing drama, Naach Na Jaanay (ناچ Ù†Û Ø¬Ø§Ù†Û’), is directed by Dawar Mahmood. Arts Council’s first production, the play is a prequel of the classic, Aangan Terha, the '80s satirical PTV hit that starred Shakeel, Arshad Mehmood, Saleem Nasir, Durdana Butt and Bushra Ansari.
Even three decades after its release, Aangan Terha remains fresh in the minds of its viewers, and if you ever catch a rerun, you’ll be left just as entertained as the first time. The character of Akbar, brilliantly performed by the Late Saleem Nasir, has especially stuck with ardent fans for years, and serves as the lead character of Naach Na Jaanay.
In 2013, KopyKats had produced a stage version of the drama Aangan Terha, which starred Yasir Hussain as Akbar. The plot of Naach Na Jaanay uses a flashback technique to glance into Akbar’s life in 1978, when Zia-ul-Haq came to power, and banned dance and music in Pakistan. Thus, Akbar, a classical dancer, ends up becoming a cook in Mahboob and Jahanara’s house.
Anwar Maqsood cleverly integrated the new script with popular scenes from Aangan Terha, allowing the audience to seek comfort in old dialogues, while also maintaining their curiosity. Since I was witnessing an Anwar Maqsood play for the first time, I went with high expectations. It was disappointing to observe that the plot remained fairly simple throughout, with some below-the-belt jokes targeting the female characters, and a few predictable dialogues.
Director Dawar Mehmood has once again experimented with a few fresh faces, all of whom performed reasonably well. Though the production did not require complex direction, Mehmood worked his magic by surprising the audience with a visual treat, in the form of a dance sequence. What began with a Chinese Dragon circling the auditorium, ended with the space booming with loud music, the beat of dhol, dancers swirling in traditional outfits, and a stunning Kathak performance by Wahab Shah. Although the performance did not push the plot forward, it was certainly enjoyed by the viewers.
All the actors did justice to their roles, and Abdullah Farhatullah (as Mahboob Ahmad) and Hina Rizvi (as Sultana) were particularly entertaining. Nasra (playing Jahanara’s mom), however, seemed to be shouting at times, instead of utilizing the technique of voice throw. The star of the evening was Yasir Hussain. Though the actor’s performance has been lauded in previous theatrical productions and he is no stranger to the world of drama, the manner in which he played Akbar was truly exceptional. From his speech to his posture and expressions, Hussain was a true delight for the audience.
Though Naach Na Jaanay has had back to back houseful performances so far, the auditorium was overcrowded on 18th March, and we wondered if KopyKats had invited more people than the Arts Council auditorium could accommodate. One hopes that upcoming shows have not been booked similarly, as visitors would be unhappy to be seated at the far corners of the hall. The play carries on till 31st March, and can be seen at the Arts Council, Karachi.
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