LAHORE - Ajoka theatre in collaboration with award winning Indian director Usha Ganguly presented new theatre production “A Blind Old Woman’s Dream” (Anhi Maai Da sufna).
The play is written by Shahid Nadeem and was premiered at Alhamra Arts Council.
“A Blind Old Woman’s Dream” is Ajoka’s second new production during this year after the splendid “Kabira Khara Bazaar Main”. Leading Kolkata-based theatre director Usha Ganguly conducted two extensive production workshops for the preparation of the play.
The play is inspired by some true stories of the generation dislocated during the partition of 1947. It is based on shattered dreams of two old humans who have unprecedented love for their home land. Mai Janki is weak, old and blind but cannot forget her native village now in Pakistan. She is determined to visit Prem Nagar regardless of closure of Pakistan India border and due to the strict visa policy.
Ustad Rango, popular dyer of Lahore’s Rang Mahal refused to leave his beloved homeland at the time of Partition and now wants’ to cross the border to attend his grand daughter’s wedding in Amritsar. He cannot travel to India but there is no restriction on his dreams of re-uniting with his family. The play is based on stories and projects emotions of a whole generation to revisit and reunite with their native land that lost the connection with the native towns in the wake of 1947 partition riots.
Deeply rooted in folk values and traditions of the native land, this play provided a perspective to understand the pain and suffering of a whole generation who lost their utmost treasure at the time of the partition. The play portrayed the dreams and ambitions of the common people of Punjab and presented and carried the universal message of peace, love, harmony and tolerance.
This play was presented with the collaboration of Lahore Arts Council and the play will also be showcased in different cities of the country in coming months as well.
Shahid Nadeem of Ajoka Theater said the Ajoka theatre upholding the tradition of presenting people’s interest plays, come up with yet another play on the woes of common people in the wake of Sub continent partition riots and play narrated the theme that people keep the memories f their native towns and villages despite the fact of the partition.