Gulzar's
KHARAASHEIN
Produced by Lubna Salim.
Scripted, Designed & Directed by Salim Arif.
An Essay Communications, Mumbai Presentation.
At Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai on 25th and 26th March, 2008 at 9PM.
KHARAASHEIN – the Scars from Riots is a collage of Gulzar’s literary creations on Riots on stage produced by Essay Communications. HILSA, our first story is about the middle-class attitude in a riot-torn city. RAAVI-PAAR is a story with backdrop of Partition revealing a tragedy reflecting our inability to learn from our past. KHUDA-HAAFIZ is a dramatization of Samaresh Basu’s AADAAB by Gulzar; about a relationship which evolves under duress of a riot inflicted situation. These four presentations are interwoven with a selection of Gulzar’s poetry, some of which he has written specially for this show.
On Stage:
Anoop Soni
Yashpal Sharma
Kishore Kadam
Ganesh Yadav
Salim Arif
and
Lubna Salim.
Yashpal Sharma
Kishore Kadam
Ganesh Yadav
Salim Arif
and
Lubna Salim.
Off Stage:
Light Operated By: Jayesh Dhumasia
Sound Operated By: Kunal Ravrani
Backdrop Paintings By: Tina Bopiah
Sound Operated By: Kunal Ravrani
Backdrop Paintings By: Tina Bopiah
An Insight...
Anoop Soni:
An NSD graduate, Anoop Soni has come up with impressive performances in serials like 'Sea Hawks', 'Saaya' ,'I Love You' & Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. His film credits include critically acclaimed 'Godmother', 'Fiza', ‘Inteha’, ‘Kagaar’, ‘Sheen’, and Gangajall and Apharan.
Kishore Kadam:
A known face in Hindi and Marathi Theatre, Kishore Kadam made his mark as 'Harilal' in "Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi". Seen in films like 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Aaghat', 'Sanshodhan', he won critical acclaim for his performance in the lead role in Shyam Benegal's 'Samar'.
Ganesh Yadav:
Trained under Pandit Satyadev Dubey, Ganesh Yadav, has made his mark with Vijaya Mehta's play 'Nagmandal' and Ravi Rai’s serial 'Thoda Hai -Thode Ki Zarurat Hai'. His previous films include 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Shool', and 'Company'.
Yashpal Sharma:
A masters degree in drama from Chandigarh coupled with the training from NSD, Yashpal Sharma has made his presence felt in serials like "Bhanwar', "Agni Chakra" & "Rishtey". Films like "Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa", "Samar', "Arjun Pandit" & "Shool" got him public attention. His strong performances in films like "Bawandar", "Lagaan", Ab Tak Chappan,Company and Apharan helped him make his mark as a formidable actor.
An NSD graduate, Anoop Soni has come up with impressive performances in serials like 'Sea Hawks', 'Saaya' ,'I Love You' & Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. His film credits include critically acclaimed 'Godmother', 'Fiza', ‘Inteha’, ‘Kagaar’, ‘Sheen’, and Gangajall and Apharan.
Kishore Kadam:
A known face in Hindi and Marathi Theatre, Kishore Kadam made his mark as 'Harilal' in "Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi". Seen in films like 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Aaghat', 'Sanshodhan', he won critical acclaim for his performance in the lead role in Shyam Benegal's 'Samar'.
Ganesh Yadav:
Trained under Pandit Satyadev Dubey, Ganesh Yadav, has made his mark with Vijaya Mehta's play 'Nagmandal' and Ravi Rai’s serial 'Thoda Hai -Thode Ki Zarurat Hai'. His previous films include 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi', 'Shool', and 'Company'.
Yashpal Sharma:
A masters degree in drama from Chandigarh coupled with the training from NSD, Yashpal Sharma has made his presence felt in serials like "Bhanwar', "Agni Chakra" & "Rishtey". Films like "Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa", "Samar', "Arjun Pandit" & "Shool" got him public attention. His strong performances in films like "Bawandar", "Lagaan", Ab Tak Chappan,Company and Apharan helped him make his mark as a formidable actor.
Lubna Salim :
An accomplished actress in major plays of IPTA & Ank in Mumbai, Lubna Salim has been active in theatre for past 18 years, her massive repertoire includes plays like "Hori", "Lok Katha", "Andhe Choohe", "Aatmakatha", “Mera Kuchh Saaman”, “Biwi-O-Biwi”, "Shyam Rang", “Collaborators” and the recent “Kachche Lamhe”. Her works on television include "Discovery of India", "Daaman", "Kadam", and a much appreciated performance in "Chhatrapati Shivaji" as Jijamata. She is making waves with her latest role of Leela Bhabhi on TV in “Baa Bahu aur Baby” and Paroma in "Ek Packet Umeed". Essay Communications is her own ensemble as a producer.
Gulzar-
The well known leading writer, director, lyricist -poet in films and also Urdu literature is a household name. Known as an artiste of touching sensitivity, his films like Mere Apne,Parichay,Koshish.Aandhi,Mausam,Angoor,Ijazat,Maachis, have left an indelible mark on movie going masses. His television serial
Mirza Ghalib is acknowledged as a definitive biographical sketch of Ghalib. From Mora Gora Ang Laie Ley to the recent Kajrare- Kajrare and Bidi Jalaile ,his contribution to film songs has been consistent and unique. He has given us songs to hum on all occasions even in his non film music albums like Dil Padosi Hai , Marasim and Vaada. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India besides several National and Filmfare Awards for Films, Songs, Scripts and Dialogue. A notable littérateur of Urdu and Hindi language, he has the rare distinction of receiving the coveted Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of stories titled Raavi-Paar. A compulsive poet, the incisive pen-power of this icon of our times comes forth in poems and stories of Kharaashein.
Salim Arif-
An illustrious alumnus of National School of Drama, New Delhi, he has several production oriented workshops to his credit in a number of places in India. He was awarded a fellowship to work on the subject of Interaction between Traditional and contemporary Indian theatre with reference to the works of Habib Tanvir, B.V.Karanth, Ratan Thiyam and K.N.Panikker.
His critically acclaimed play Aap Ki Soniya has been performed extensively in India and abroad. His path breaking Kharaashein and Ghalibnaama were showcased by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan at Lincoln Center, NY in 2004.
Currently working as Head of the Production Design Department at the Whistling Woods, Mumbai, he is also on the visiting faculty of several prestigious institutions including National School of Drama, New Delhi, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, National Institute of Fashion Technology,Mumbai, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, BNA, Lucknow , and Rajasthan University Department of Drama, Jaipur .He was commissioned by Encyclopaedia Britannica (India) to do an appraisal on Costumes in Hindi Cinema titled The Essence and Fabric for Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema published in 2003. He has been a Theatre Critic for Mid-Day, New Delhi, wrote articles and reviews for Free Press Journal in Mumbai on Theatre and films and is currently a regular contributor to Hardnews, a magazine published from New Delhi since 2003.
An associate director in movies like Gulzar’s Maachis, Hu Tu Tu and Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza, his important films as a designer are Ketan Mehta’s Sardar Patel,Gulzar’s Maachis & Hu-Tu-Tu , Govind Nihalani’s Takshak, Anil Sharma’s Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo and Mani Ratnam’s Guru and tele-serials like Shyam Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj,Gulzar’s Mirza Ghalib,Dr.Chandraprakash Dwedi’s Chanakya and Nirja Guleri’s Chandrakanta . His serials as director on television include Daaman and Saath Saath besides several episodes for Rishtey segment. Some important plays designed by him are Ismat Apa Ke Naam, Shyam Rang, Mrigtrishna, Jisne Lahore Nahin Vekhya and Madhyamvyayoga.
Innovative in approach , exploring new contents for staging, his Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Kaifi Saab, Ghalibnaama, Kharaashein, Peele Patton Ka Ban , Dil Chahta Hai ,,Aapki Soniya, Shyam Rang ,Agar aur Magar,Bayaane Ghalib,Rakt Kalyan and now Kachche Lamhe has made him one of the most exciting and popular director on Hindi Stage in India.
Essay Communications-Essay Communications is a forum for theatre and other allied arts in Mumbai. Led by Salim Arif, the group includes alumni of National School of Drama and other theatre enthusiasts. Ghalibnaama, a concert comprising of the letters and poems of Mirza Ghalib, Kharaashein-the scars from riots, a collage on stage of Gulzar’s writings on communal harmony, Peele Patton Ka Ban a collection of three monologues and Javed Siddiqi’s Aapki Soniya are productions which gave this group a distinct identity as a platform for meaningful artistic presentations. Kachche Lamhe is its latest production.
Poems by Gulzar ,translated from Urdu into English
by
Salim Arif
1
No miracle took place that night
Those who were there in worship homes
Had prayer on their lips
Faith illuminated their eyes
It’s the Home of Gods (they thought)
Quakes can’t shatter them,
Fire can’t burn
Sermons of miracle they had heard
Appeals were offered in various names –
But no sound came from heavenly Abode,
Not of God, nor of police
All, were roasted in fire and ash’d
No miracle happened that night.
2
Miracles do happen –We were told !
But, when it mattered,
No flowers emerged from fires,Nor did a river erupt from the Land-
The sea never threw a cover
No boat came down from heavens
Last night our Gods were on trial
Their homes got burnt last Night
1
No miracle took place that night
Those who were there in worship homes
Had prayer on their lips
Faith illuminated their eyes
It’s the Home of Gods (they thought)
Quakes can’t shatter them,
Fire can’t burn
Sermons of miracle they had heard
Appeals were offered in various names –
But no sound came from heavenly Abode,
Not of God, nor of police
All, were roasted in fire and ash’d
No miracle happened that night.
2
Miracles do happen –We were told !
But, when it mattered,
No flowers emerged from fires,Nor did a river erupt from the Land-
The sea never threw a cover
No boat came down from heavens
Last night our Gods were on trial
Their homes got burnt last Night
3
How silent is the death of some people
Grave’d in cold dark coffins of their own bodies
No sound of breath
No sobs, no sighs
No move, no wail
So silent is the death of some people
They save you botheration of the burial
4
He did not choose his religion
He inherited it from his parents
Could he have chosen his parentage?
It was thrust on him as was this Nation
The home of his family
It was not his choice either
He was only nine
Why did they choose him to be butchered in communal riots last night?
5
No one was killed in the city,
They were only names, Murdered…
None were beheaded
They were mere caps with heads inside
And this blood stream on the streets
Drips
from the voices slaughtered.
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