KARACHI A comedy only succeeds if it reveals something true about society or human nature. Mohabbat Bhi, Qayamat Bhi — Katha's second offering as part of The Citizens Foundation theatre festival — demonstrates this well it's a comic play that offers a great exposition of the dynamics of marital relationships. In simpler words, it's funny because it's true.
The play revolves around Parveen and Mehmood — married for five years and recently separated. When Mehmood encounters problems filing tax returns, his friend and lawyer invites Parveen back to the couple's home for one night to work through a list of unaccounted-for expenses. They are then forced to revisit the highs and lows of their marriage and finally find the courage to be honest with each other.
Mature audiences will enjoy the fact that Parveen and Mehmood are very real characters. She is sassy and sarcastic, but her wit is revealed to be a defence mechanism to compensate for the fact that she is insecure about her appearance. Mehmood, meanwhile, betrays all the faults of an intellectual he is scattered, stuttering, and self-obsessed. And although he over-thinks all aspects of the relationships he is in, he fails to realise that all he needs to do with Parveen is shower her with affection and praise.
To offset the insightful portrayal of Parveen and Mehmood's relationship, Mohabbat Bhi, Qayamat Bhi introduces two characters that are pure caricature Haseen Jameel, a Lollywood lothario, and Faiza, a health freak.
Haseen steals the show with his booming voice, bombast, and bravado. Clad in nothing tamer than a velvet smoking jacket or satin pyjamas, he takes a shine to Parveen and begins to lavish her with attention. It is his exaggerated courtship rituals that make Mehmood's shortcomings all too clear. For her part, Faiza, Mehmood's post-Parveen fiancée, is saccharine sweet, earnest yet nagging, and in her youthful optimism and fitness, a terrible match for the brooding Mehmood.
Much of the play's success lies in its casting, a testament to director Shahid Shafaat's talent. Sania Saeed is in her element playing Parveen, striking just the right balance of confidence and insecurity, sexiness and sweetness. With last year's Main Adakara Banu Gi, Saeed had reminded audiences that she could pull off a comic role with flair. In this theatrical outing she draws on the same energy, but refines her performance, substituting camp with cleverness and comic timing.
Rehan Sheikh, in the role of Mehmood, holds his own opposite Saeed with ease. His mannerisms seem unaffected, and he achieves the feat of commanding stage presence even while appearing flustered and distracted, a perpetual state required of his character. As the play works towards its finale, Sheikh's performance, too, reaches a comic crescendo, which one may not have expected of the character at the start of the play.
Khalid Mallick and Joshinder Chaggar, in the roles of Haseen and Faiza, respectively, are new faces to the Karachi stage. While it may have been daunting to share the stage with theatrical heavyweights Saeed and Sheikh, these two newcomers don't miss a beat. Indeed, their hokey performances are the source of most laughs in the play. By the play's third act, Mallick's mere presence on stage has audience members in a giggle.
Speaking of which, Shafaat should be applauded for his adaptation of Jean Kerr's Mary, Mary. The best thing about the play is that it's anyone's guess how things will work out in the end. And what can be a better treat for Karachi's theatregoers than to watch a play about star-crossed lovers and not be certain within minutes that they will be reunited?
The play's humour, too, is a welcome change. Rather than rely on stereotype and slapstick, the script opts for witty banter, double entendres, and suggestive one-liners. Fitting the play's setting — a slick, upper-middle-class flat in Karachi — the comedy is urban, edgy, and, at times, transgressive. This evolution from slamming doors and mistaken identities (of which, admittedly, there are trace elements) will be a relief for those who regularly attend local performances.
Be warned, though. Some scenes drag on a bit too long. When Haseen woos Parveen and uncovers the source of her insecurities, the conversation begins to feel a bit repetitive. Similarly, a showdown between Mehmood and Faiza after the latter discovers that her fiance's ex is visiting could do with some heavy editing. But it's worth sitting through these for the scenes for some choice laugh-out-loud moments.
Mohabbat Bhi, Qayamat Bhi runs at the Karachi Arts Council from March 4 to 7, and will be followed by Katha's final dramatic offering in this festival, Jhootay Roop Kay Darshan, from March 8 to 10.