KARACHI: Buddha Mar Gaya Kya, an Urdu adaption of Neil Simon’s play The Sunshine Boys ended its five-day run on Sunday at the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa).

Written and directed by Sameena Nazir, the title of the drama sounds like a fresh take on the late comedian Umer Sharif’s iconic play Buddha Ghar Per Hai. It’s not, because Nazir’s effort is a different kettle of fish.

Buddha Mar Gya Kya has two central characters, Kamal Raziuddin (Samhan Ghazi) and Omar Malik (Saad Zameer). They are aging actors/comedians who once worked together as a hit pair but parted ways after developing some differences. Their partnership had ended in a bitter way, so they stopped talking to, and harboured bad feelings for, each other.

When the curtains are drawn, the audience gets to know that Kamal and Omar haven’t interacted for more than a decade. Both are colourful characters having dissimilar characteristics. Kamal lives alone, is rambunctious and can get irritated at the drop of a hat; whereas Omar has a daughter, is not as cantankerous but makes sure that what he says is heard loud and clear.

Written and directed by Sameena Nazir, Buddha Mar Gaya Kya aims to examine highs and lows of friendship in lighter vein

The story introduces the two of them without both being on stage in the first scene. A young showbiz agent and Kamal’s nephew Moid (Kashif Hussain) comes to meet his uncle and makes an attempt to bring the oldies together for a TV show, throwing the bait of good money. After some hesitation and resistance, Kamal agrees.

When Omar, who lives in Jamshoro, arrives to see Kamal, their tit-for-tat clash to apportion blame as to who caused the split between them in the past almost destroys the prospects of resumption of their professional togetherness. Once the actors begin to rehearse for the project, things go topsy-turvy and Kamal suffers a heart attack. This changes the scenario a bit: now he’s being looked after by a chirpy nurse (Rachna Kirpalani). Omar returns to say hello to him and the play moves towards its climax.

Buddha Mar Gaya Kya aims to examine the highs and lows of friendship in a lighter vein. Nazir has set the story in a time frame when PTV reigned supreme, so the references to shows such as Nilaam Ghar and actors like Moin Akhtar are thrown around. The play’s humour lies in the use of double entendre and the main actors’ antics highlighting their geriatric and senile side.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2024