Post news network
Bhubaneswar, July 26: An evening dedicated to renowned Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi Sunday struck a chord with an audience assembled in large numbers at an event titled ‘Kaifi Aur Main’.
A play based on the life of the luminary poet was performed by Kaifi’s daughter and celebrated actor Shabana Azmi and her lyricist-husband Javed Akhtar.
The programme was part of a fundraiser event by Zain Foundation that aims to establish a one-stop centre for autistic children in the state. Numerous people from the city took part in the lively performance held at Rabindra Mandap. Apart from Shabana and Javed, singer Jasvinder Singh and his team sung ghazals frequently during the play to complement the play.
The play was based on a real-life romance set in the background of a political and rebellious pre-independent India. The play performed by Kaifi’s daughter and son-in-law depicts the magnificent love story of Kaifi and his wife Shaukat through strings of narratives, ‘shayaris’ and songs.
This theatrical collage is a compilation of Shaukat’s interactions with Kaifi, from her book Yaad Ki Rehguzaar, along with portions from various interviews of Kaifi, which have been strung together by Javed. Shabana and Javed during the act narrated the parts of Shaukat and Kaifi to portray their eternal love story blended with emotions of love, despair, pain, solitude and success.
The artiste couple during the play depicted the journey of Kaifi and his wife since the time they first met, and how their love developed slowly and was confronted with social struggle. It also narrates how the duo struggled to marry each other despite various challenges.
Intertwined with the narration was the subtext of the social scenario of pre-independent India and the prevailing social turmoil.
How the ideas of socialism and nationalism grew parallel to the art of mushayara and patriotic nationalist songs was deftly woven into the narration.
The programme received huge applause from the audience.
The city auditorium was packed to the rafters thanks to the presence of the noted stars and the theme that was based on the life of one of the best known pre-Independence poets.
The organisers, who were overwhelmed by the response of the audience, thanked the donors who contributed for the Zain Foundation fundraiser.
This was the maiden fundraising event for the foundation.
Speaking during the event, Gargi Bhattacharya Ali, managing trustee of the foundation, said: “The proceedings of the ticket sales would be the first successful fundraising activity of the Zain Foundation, which aspires to be a genuine, bonafide, accredited and therapeutic residential school for individuals within the Autism Spectrum Disorder.”