KARACHI: Indian screenwriter and dramatist Javed Siddiqui’s play Begum Jaan has gained the reputation of a modern-day classic. Some theatre purists might disagree with this claim. But it would be hard to deny that whenever this drama is staged, it never fails to impress audiences largely because of the playfulness and profundity of its dialogue.

On Friday evening, Begum Jaan, directed by Alaiza Jawaid, began its three-day run at the Arts Council of Pakistan as part of the council’s ongoing School of Visual and Performing Arts (Sovapa) alumni series. Let’s admit at the outset: the audience liked it.

Directed by Alaiza Jawaid, the play will continue at Arts Council till tomorrow

At the heart of the story is an old lady Begum Jaan (Alaiza) who lives with her granddaughter Zarina (Farzeen Ejaz). She had a glittering past. She used to be a top-notch vocalist who, before independence, rubbed shoulders with many high-profile individuals from the world of politics and art. She still has the spirit of a confident young woman who shoots from the hip, but chooses to live under the radar. And at this juncture of her life, she’s financially challenged.

When curtains go up, Zarina is seen escorting a young man Sanjay (Daniyal Naeem) into the house who intends to live in one of the rooms on rent. Sanjay is a journalist and has an ulterior motive: he knows the worth of Begum Jaan and seeks to note down, and publish, her life trajectory. The old singer has an inkling of the young man’s intentions. She is wise enough to realise that she wants money and needs to marry off her young granddaughter. This generates a vibrant, at times colourful, and on occasion saddening, discussions among the three protagonists.

Given that a young team is involved in interpreting a layered text, one has to praise them. That being said, the play has been performed before and the director must have seen (or read about) its different productions. One thought that she might come up with something out of the box. Instead, she follows the script as it was. This is no criticism, because even then, her effort is impressive.

Farzeen Ejaz’s performance is very good. Any actor worth his or her salt will tell you that acting is as much about reaction as it is about delivering the lines perfectly. Farzeen’s reactions are worth watching.

Alaiza Jawaid as Begum Jaan is fine, too. As actress, though, she could have worked a bit harder on her vocal ability (she’s playing a singer, after all) and on how to read Urdu verses with correct stresses and pauses.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2026