LAHORE: The National College of Arts has started a six-month performing art (acting/drama) course, being conducted by renowned television actor Shehnaz Sheikh, Vice Chancellor Murtaza Jaffri told Dawn.

Mr Jaffri says Lahore has always been a hub of theatre and the city that boasts of having the oldest thetare stage at Bagh-i-Jinnah (Lawrence Gardens) has produced magnificent artists.

“There is an utmost need to teach performing arts. We have got plenty of talent here which needs to be groomed and polished. Besides this, we have started a vocal music course that will be conducted by the Musicology Department of NCA,” the vice chancellor says.

He says a theatrical performance will be staged by the students studying acting and drama at the conclusion of the six-month course where they will present what they have learnt during the course.

“We have space with a seating capacity of 200 people at Tollinton Hall, where we will hold regular theatrical performances,” says Mr Jaffri, adding the NCA also has plans to hold weekly musical and performing art performances at Tollinton theater on Fridays, and these shows will be open to the public.

He says NCA is also conducting several other certificate courses in different disciplines, including calligraphy, fresco painting, traditional craft, fashion illustration, television production etc.

Mr Jaffri says that people are taking immense interest in instrumental music as 40 students have enrolled in the instrumental music course to learn piano.

About the film NCA was planning to produce on Bhai Ram Singh -- the famous architect and one of the principals of the institute when it was called Mayo School of Arts -- the VC says that work on it will start soon. Bhai Ram Singh remained principal of the Mayo School of Arts from 1909 till 1913. When the school was established in 1875, Singh got admission in it and learnt English, basic drawing, mathematics and geometry. Later, he integrated the colonial concepts with the native traditions in furniture and tapestry designing, interior decoration and architecture. Working under the guidance of his principal, John Lockwood Kipling, he soon surpassed his peers.

Jaffri says the basic objective of the film is to laud Ram Singh’s genius and appreciate that how being a craftsman he became the principal of the Mayo School of Arts during the British rule.

“Sarmad Sehbai, poet and filmmaker, is working on the script of the film,” he adds.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2022