ISLAMABAD: The month-long National Theatre Festival concluded Thursday night with a performance of Manto, Mera Dost at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

The festival, which is now in its twelfth year, featured around 50 theatre productions that were held to mark Pakistan’s 70th Independence Day this August.

The festival aimed to promote theatre and help artists in the field, and allowed theatregoers to experience a variety of themes and topics.

On Thursday, Tehrik-i-Niswan from Karachi presented its thought-provoking production Manto, Mera Dost as the closing performance of the festival.

The insightful play was scripted and directed by Anwer Jafri and its concept was developed by Sheema Kermani, who also took the stage as Ismat Chughtai, while Manto was played by Imran Khan.

With a simple stage setting of two chairs and two tables, the play kept the audience gripped throughout as it portrayed Manto through the eyes of his friend and respected Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai.

Nearly 90 minutes long, the performance beautifully highlighted Manto’s feminist and humanist thought and his work, with both main characters giving dramatic performances. It featured Manto’s Thanda Gosht and Kaali Shalwar.

The play was a well conceived and unusual production by Tehrik-i-Niswan, founded by the activist and Bharatnatyam dancer Ms Kermani.

“The play was a brilliant tribute to some of the greatest writers, and performed by some of the most experienced artists,” said theatregoer Najam Hassan.

The play pushed emotional buttons, said Irfan Shah, another audience member.

“It was like the two characters Manto and Ismat Chughtai had come back to life,” he said.

At the concluding ceremony of the festival, PNCA Director General Jamal Shah said: “Theatre is a very strong medium and had played a vital role in the social change. The history of theatre is as old as human life. Shortcomings and dark sides of societies have always been reflected through theatre.”

He added that theatre groups from all over Pakistan were invited to the festival, and groups from remote parts of the country had participated.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2017