LAHORE: Powerful theatrical performances were presented by the university students here on Wednesday at the drama festival hosted by the Government College University under the auspices of its Dramatics Club.

Senior actor Naeem Tahir was the chief guest at the festival held at the GCU’s Bukhari Auditorium that was bustling with students, faculty members and guests who came to watch the plays staged by dramatics clubs of different universities.

Actor Ali Tahir and Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi were also present.

The festival opened with an Urdu play ‘Shamt-e-Amaal’ staged by the GCU Dramatics Club which was highly appreciated by the audience. The play narrates the story of a writer who finds a wallet and tries his best to return it to its owner. The troubles he faces in pursuing a just cause make the play interesting.

Kinnaird College students staged an Urdu drama ‘Mazloom’ that also received a thunderous round of applause. Themed on victim shaming, the play highlights the issue of blaming the victim instead of supporting them and treating them as humans who were actually wronged.

It depicts the stance of the victim and leaves it to the audience to decide who is the actual oppressor.

FAST University students staged a drama titled “Kyu, Kaise, Kon?” -- a murder mystery that soon turns into a comedy of errors.

“Shalla Pagan Uchiyan Rehn’’, was a Punjabi play presented by the Punjab University Dramatics Club. It was about a tomboyish girl who was living with her family happily, but sudden turn of events changed their lives.

Vice Chancellor Prof Zaidi said on the occasion that theatre, film and TV dramas were not just entertainment, rather these art forms had a bigger role of reforming society. He hoped such drama festivals in universities could play a pivotal role in reviving the culture of quality theatre in the country.

He said the GCU Dramatics Club had produced legendary thespians and playwrights such as Rafi Peer, Zia Mohyeddin, Shoaib Hashmi, Imtiaz Ali Taj, Naeem Tahir, Asghar Nadeem Syed and many others.

Naeem Tahir also lauded the performance of young actors.

The festival is part of the week-long first All Pakistan Summit for the Students’ Societies being hosted by the GCU, in collaboration with the Unesco Creative Cities Network, Lahore- City of Literature (Lahore commissioner office), Bargad Organisation for Youth Development and Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2021