ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: In a performance, titled Rhyme and Rhythm, Zia Moheyuddin recited excerpts from literary works of classical Urdu writers such as Agha Haider Mirza Baig, Josh Malihabadi , Mustafa Zaidi, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Mohammad Iqbal, Ibne Insha, Mukhtar Siddiqui and Z.A. Bokhari to a captive audience, who had made it on time in spite of the continuous downpour in the Capital.
The recitations both in Urdu and English were accompanied with the beat of tabla and sitar performed by master musician, Nafees Ahmed, an inseparable part of Zia's performance. A young artist, Saima Khushnood, translated selected excerpts into dance performances.
No matter how many reading and recitation performances Zia Moheyuddin would give, his claim to fame for Pakistani audience will always remain his Zia Mohyeddin Show, that made history by running for 18 months. Presenters have tried to emulate it and numerous shows have followed on the same line and pattern. The readings and recitations of Zia in which he has made a niche for himself, also took its roots from the show in which he recited his pieces of poetry with Theka.
Today these readings have become a form of entertainment in which Zia has excelled over the years. He selects and edits stories and essays of Urdu writers dating back to the eighteenth century and adapts them for his recitation. His selection is a mixture of both serious and humorous pieces in which Urdu terms dating back to eighteenth century literature - proverbs and idioms are highlighted. Some of the words have almost disappeared from modern Urdu literature.
The articulate English recitation turned out to be quite comical for the young audience that mostly comprised executive and corporate sectors of the Capital.
He read out open letters addressed to God, by American school going children and made the audience laugh out at the questions asked by eight and nine year old writers.
He also read out some letters (in different accents) amongst which the reply of a Ministry of Environment official to one Ms Helga was hilarious. The latter had complained the recent chopping of trees in the various sectors of Islamabad by CDA under the justification of 'pollen allergy'. A letter by a Pakistani British boy written to BBC, "Who am I" trying to find his identity also earned great applause. The last line to the letter was "Whoever I am, wherever I am, I am just trying to make this world a better place."
Trained at the Royal Academy of the Arts in London during the 1950s, Zia has done many films and numerous stage plays. He started his film carrier with classical, Lawrence of Arabia, which was also a debut film of his co-star Omer Sharif.
The evening turned out to be an enriching experience for everyone present, specially the young generation that is not familiar with the Urdu literature and one can hardly have any high hopes for them.
Sofia Shahid, who conducted the show, was very right when she said "the motive behind such evenings was to at least get a chance to listen to the works of literary masters of Urdu and English if we don't get time to read them anymore."