Tough act to follow

A heightened moment from the piece, Jeeray Ki Ravangi. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

A room big enough for 30 people. Some 20 actors sit on the floor. And only a few from the crew sit in the corner, idly plucking their musical paraphernalia. While one man in the front assists this team, we wait alongside for one of the final rehearsals of Ek Punjab Yeh Bhi to begin at Prithvi House in Juhu. Does an intimate theatre space bound by thick black curtains stir us more to immediate drama waiting in the wings? Pulled into the energy of the room, an exercise puzzles us. Actors sit cross-legged, eyes shut and at an arm's distance from one another. They call out numbers - one, two, three in quick succession - but overlaps aren't allowed. The first few efforts are bumpy. But soon enough, they reach the number 27 without cutting each other short. This induction into synergy and harmony demands looking beyond one's self - a crucial lesson in acting.

A still from Shareeka

Theatre director-actor Danish Husain's Ek Punjab Yeh Bhi that premieres this weekend, is a fresh look at four of Ali Akbar Natiq's stories. The 2012 production by the same name had a stellar cast. The stories were unlike the ones being retold now, but it stayed on veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah's mind. "During one of our meetings, Naseer saab asked me if I was planning to bring the play back. I am excited that it is back, finally," recalls Husain who describes our slow trotting out of the pandemic as "partial anesthesia". "Theatres can only house half of their actual strength. So, constraints remain and as theatre-makers; we haven't gained full consciousness yet," he adds.

Danish Husain

Jeeray Ki Ravangi, the first tale of the set is an energetic story meeting its doleful end; Shareeka is the tragic love story of Sheedan and Sher Singh; Jodhpur ki Hadd charts out the crisscross of Bhondu and Kareema's outwardly contrasting fates, and Shahabu Khalifa Ka Shak (most contemporary of the lot) is a piece about a mad peer and his two dogs. The play charms us with its music. Loud and lively, every time Jeeray breaks into a song, we lose our calm to the crests of his narration; much like the boy (Mukund Pal) who plays Haji Abdullah. We shed a tear when Sheedan bows down to the pressures of patriarchy and we rise and wait with bated breath when the mad peer bets on his dogs. Ek Punjab Yeh Bhi dishes out slice-of-life stories that remain with us for their unique take on the mundane. As Husain explains, "Natiq is quite the Manto of our times. He fleshes out an extraordinary moment in an ordinary person's life and in a manner that resonates with the common public. The heightened moments will sit with everybody for the sake of familiarity." The director further underlines that no matter which section of the society we belong from, insidiousness is all-pervading.

Based on Natiq's collection of stories, Qaeem Din, Husain says he can't pick any one tale from the play as his favourite as each comes with a distinct flavour. The language characteristic of Urdu, as spoken in parts of West Pakistan, connects with viewers for its tell-tale quality. But for those who lose attention quickly, a handbook with a brief synopsis could help.
All in all, Husain's translation of grief, mirth, guile and folly will be a tough act to follow.

On December 2 to 5
At Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Juhu.
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Cost Rs 500