Tracing the trajectories of our socio-political system in an attempt to expose the odds contaminating the existing affairs in the country, Hazaar Daastan, a theatre group committed to quality Urdu theatre, recently staged an original musical titled Sabz, its Blowing in the Wind, at the Arts Council in Karachi.

At a time when most of the productions running in theatres are adapted and translated versions of foreign or historical works, bringing an original Urdu musical seemed a somewhat remote possibility. Nevertheless, executive producer Umer Hameed, producer Waqas Bukarhri (Moulin Rouge, Bombay Dreams) and writer, director and actor, Abdullah Farhatullah, managed to bring forth a play which got the adrenaline pumping with a vigorous script and antics.

As director, Kamran (Abdullah Farhatullah) aims to produce a meaningful play with a significant message for the people against the will of his producer Rana Saheb (Raza Shah) for whom money matters and he favours producing masala with item numbers. The curtain opens to Mansoor (Muaz Raja) waiting for Naveed (Yasir Hussain) to join him in the rehearsals. Naveed appears to be carefree, laid-back and a typical Pakistani youth influenced with western culture but emerges as a true leader in the second-half. Mansoor, on the other hand, is dedicated and career-oriented. As the story proceeds, Naveed and Mansoor are joined by Roshni (Jannat Nekokara) and Kiran (Bint-i-Arsalan), and all get busy with rehearsals. Despite the opposition and hurdles created by Rana Saheb, the team finally succeeds to produce the act.

The play makes a scathing comment on our society with disregard for justice, where innocent people are shot dead everyday in front of hundreds of witnesses yet the accused walk free, where countless lives are lost to suicide bombings, etc, while we remain silent with such injustices happening all around us. The play provokes youth to bring sanity in this contaminated society and to rescue it from decay and anarchy.

Together, Yasir and Muaz whip up an amazing camaraderie in various scen making this rom-com — that meanders from one festive jig to another — a must-watch. As for Yasir Hussain, with his seven years experience as a theatre writer, actor and presently a VJ for a TV channel, he sinks his teeth into his part and makes the role seem tailor-made for him. Muaz Raja, a renowned radio host, actor, singer and lyricist who performed powerful characters in Bombay Dreams and Tom, Dick & Harry, portrayed his character with aplomb. Jannat Nekokara looked lovely and enacted her part with utmost confidence while Bint-i-Arsalan as Kiran and Muhammad Azeem as Item had short roles which they handle quite well.