INTERESTINGLY, the year 2017 seems to have revived an interest in reading as we witnessed two Urdu books breaking some sales records. These books had to be reprinted shortly after the appearance of their first editions. A smashing success indeed, if one goes by the yardstick of Urdu publishing as the first edition of most newly published Urdu books may take a few years to sell — that is, if the author is worth his or her salt.
And if the book is non-fiction and concerns some academic research, it may take a decade or so for the first edition, usually consisting of a few hundred copies, to exhaust. Collection of poetry by some enthusiastic and virtually unknown, albeit talented, poet may not sell even in decades. Such collections are usually self-published and are virtually used as visiting cards, ensuring entry to some prestigious literary gatherings or international conferences or making it possible for the young poet to see some high-level and otherwise unapproachable government officials.
Such poets, usually living overseas, find it quite convenient through these poetry collections to access the Pakistani embassies and consulates abroad and may even have to be invited to official functions there, such as the ones held on Independence Day. Self-projected as “famous and prominent Urdu poets”, these non-entities can rub shoulders with VIPs on such occasions and preside over some literary gatherings, too. And getting these collections printed in Pakistan hardly costs a few hundred dollars or riyals.
Such “accomplished and famous poets of Urdu” are often seen foul-mouthing the critics as their invisible poetic talents are hardly acknowledged in Pakistani literary circles. The second editions of such books are published too, but it does not make them counted as bestsellers since the copies are given away — and sometimes thrown into the dustbin the next day.
But something remarkable happened with Mukhtar Masood’s fourth book, Harf-i-shauq, published posthumously in August 2017: it sold out within a fortnight and the second edition, with a print order of 2,000 copies, had to be published within a month or so. Similarly, Agha Nasir’s memoirs Agha se Agha Nasir tak: umr kahani appeared posthumously in June 2017 and in October its second edition hit the bookstores.
It makes one recall the publication and launching of Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi’s fifth book Sham-i-shear-i-yaaraan in 2014. It was guesstimated that about 1,500 copies were sold on the first day. It makes one nostalgic and takes one back to the 1970s when a sort of mini-fair would take place in Karachi’s Saddar area near Regal Chowk on the occasion of the release of a new title by Ibn-i-Safi. Some works by humorists, such as Ibn-e-Insha’s Urdu ki aakhri kitab, have run into 20 editions. Readers impatiently waited at Regal Chowk for the arrival of the new issue of Sab rang digest, the popular magazine edited by Shakeel Aadilzada, that once had a circulation of over 150,000 copies. These are the bestselling writers of Urdu.
So how do they do it? What magical touch did the acclaimed writers give to their writings that made them sell like proverbial hotcakes? What is it that strikes a chord and which the writings of new poets lack? Maybe, Agha Nasir had a clue, as he has pointed out in his memoirs. Agha says once Saleem Ahmed, the famous critic, poet and scriptwriter, took him to a meeting where the script of a proposed film was being discussed. Ahsaan B.A., the well-known journalist and columnist, was there and he rejected a part of the script saying that it did not have any “durfutni”. Later, Agha Nasir asked what a “durfutni” was. Saleem Ahmed said that this word was coined by Sa’adat Hasan Manto. This means, writes Agha Nasir, something in the script that clicks and catches the fancy of filmgoers/listeners/readers. It is something that makes the audience jump and clap. Agha Nasir writes that when he practically applied that expression he realised that this apparently meaningless word had many shades of meaning.
Beginning with his birth on Feb 9, 1937 in Meerut, Agha Nasir’s memoirs take the reader through the events leading to his rise to some of the highest posts at Radio Pakistan and PTV. His migration to Pakistan, education, jobs, postings, getting promoted, meeting prime ministers, presidents, dignitaries, writers, poets and other celebrities, all is narrated in a simple, flowing style. No pompousness or pretentiousness, either in personality or language, can be traced as Agha describes everything in a matter-of-fact and unemotional style. Some very witty and moving incidents too are narrated in the same composed manner. The book is in fact Pakistan’s political, literary and social history and signposts some important events as an eye-witness account.
Agha Nasir was a playwright, too. In his book Gulshan-i-yaad, Agha Nasir has recounted some of his life events and pen sketches of some of his friends and colleagues. But Umr kahani is full-length memoirs. His other books are This is PTV, All about television, Girh-i-neem baaz, Ham jeete jee masroof rahe, Gumshuda log and Ghair matbooa tehreeren.
The robust sales of Agha Nasir’s memoirs prove that at least it has many “durfutnis”.
Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2017
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