Mian, Biwi aur Wagah
Writers: Amna Khaishgi and Ehtesham Shahid
Director: Dhruti Shah D’souza
Co-Director: Sheherzad Kaleem
Cast: Amna Khaishgi, Ehtesham Shahid, Majid Muhammad, Maha Jamil, Faraz Waqar and Johan D’souza
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‘Mian Biwi aur Wagah’ (Husband, Wife and the Wagah Border) is a play that beckons a memorable homecoming experience for the lovers of Urdu theatre and the lost tradition of letter-writing.
In the days of telegraphic communication driven by technology, letter-writing can seem hopelessly outdated, yet it’s an art worth reviving, because the writing, receiving and reading of letters will always offer a surreal and heartfelt feeling that modern technology can never attempt to touch.
The play’s premise is weaved among three central characters – a wife-husband duo, both journalists, from Karachi (Pakistan) and Bihar (India), who are seen and heard writing letters to their kith and kin from all walks of life, set in different cities, and through a range of varied emotions.
At the parallel lies Wagah, the border that separates the two countries and is also played in symbolism to the unity as well as the disparity of both the countries. Wearing the robe of a storyteller, Wagah weaves intimate memories, incidents, inner explorations, and observations of handwritten words that stand to be a true metaphor for what brings the two people together.
All letters staged are originally written and based on true stories and experiences. Transcending borders, socio-economic conditions, and rural-urban divide, the play is presented in a refreshing light-hearted, jocular, at times poignant and thought-provoking manner.
Riding on experimental theater dynamics and inventive sound and light ingredients, the production hopes to send a message of a revival of the art of soul-stirring communication by putting pen to paper and writing intensely to our loved ones.