LAHORE - Written by Shahid Nadeem and Directed by Usha Ganguli of Rangakarme, Kolkata, a play titled ‘Anhi Mai Da Sufna’ (Blind woman’s dream) was staged yesterday at Bukhari Auditorium, Government College University.

The play reflected the agony and suffering of a whole generation which was dislocated at the time of the partition. It explores the journey and dreams of the two characters in a lively and optimistic way using folk music and dance.

The set and props used in the play were minimum but enough to give the real life look. The cast of the play included Arshad Durrani, Samina Butt, Rukhsana khan,Sohail Tariq, Usman Raaj, Nayab Faiza, Anam Zaheer and Shahzad Sadiq.

The script of the play was inspired by some true stories of the generation dislocated and tormented by the devastating events during the Partition of 1947. It is a story of shattered dreams and traumatic nightmares but also of the resilience of the human spirit.

Mai Janki is old, weak and blind but cannot forget her native village now in Pakistan. She is determined to visit her Prem Nagar regardless of the closure of the Indo­Pak borders and visa problems.

She is so adamant that her family finds an ingenious way of fulfilling Mai Janki’s dream. And then there is Ustad Rangoo, Rangsaaz (the dyer) of Rang Mahal who refused to leave his beloved Lahore but now wants to attend his grand­daughter’s wedding in Amritsar. He cannot travel to India but there is no restriction on his dreams of reuniting with his family. The dreams and the real or imagined journeys of the blind woman and the old rangsaaz are the basis of “Anhi Mai Da Sufna”.

Director Shahid Nadeem said that they were presenting this play to celebrate the undying human spirit and the story was told in an entertaining style and interwoven with inspiring songs. “Through it is a depressing topic but we have tried our level best to convey the message to the audience in an entertaining way. ‘Anhi Mai Da Sufna’ is dedicated to all those who could never return to their homeland in both India and Pakistan,” Shahid explained.