Kathak dancer Adnan Jahangir, who is the choreographer of the dance troupe of PUCAR (Punjab Council of Arts), visited Sri Lanka on an invitation to represent Pakistan in various dance projects. He co-choreographed an upcoming musical drama in Colombo, ‘Breaking the Karmic Cycle’, directed and written by eminent Sri Lankan artiste Nilan Mallgaspe.

Mr Jahangir also conducted two dance workshops in Sri Lanka; one for the schoolchildren in Kandy and while other for professional dancers at the Goethe Institute of Colombo.

Besides his creative individual style of dance and Kathak, he also promoted the cultural dances of Pakistan.

Though a number of visitors, art enthusiasts and teachers got an opportunity to be at the inauguration of theses display of graduating students at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design on June 1, the event was postponed after a notification issued to the effect by the Higher Education Commission Punjab. The notification says, “This is to inform you that the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design will remain closed with effect from 2nd June 2016 as per notification of Higher Education Department of the Government of the Punjab. It is also informed that the thesis display scheduled from 1st June till 7th June 2016 has been postponed for general public”.

The Lahore Arts Council made Naveed Bokhari in-charge of Alhamra Cultural Complex. Mr Bokhari has replaced Deputy Director Zubair Ajmal who is now caretaker of Alhamra Permanent Art Gallery.

The LAC is also improving the ambiance at the cultural complex by establishing a new café and creating new and modern seating arrangement.

Like Ajoka Theatre, many other theatre groups in Punjab are now building a fresh momentum for parallel plays. Among such theatre groups Mass Foundation, Azad Theatre and Lok Rehas are of prominent importance. These theatre groups not only stage meaningful and socially relevant productions but also hold workshops to train the young talent keen to be part of parallel theatre.

The Interactive Resource Center is also another major entity when it comes to message-oriented theatre in Punjab.

The Mass Foundation Theatre staged its play Kafan at Alhamra Art Center, The Mall on June 3 and 4. This performance was staged in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council. The play is adapted the from short story of Munshi Prem Chand.

The 70-minute performance depicts the element of selfishness and declining values in society... how women of subcontinent are being used through linkage of relations and how they are blackmailed due to their hope and struggle to continue their family system.

The play is designed to take the audience back to 1930’s with emotional touches and sentiments. It is dramatised and directed by Aamir Nawaz.

The cast includes Zaheer Taj, Afzaal Nabi, Dr Zoya, Sharjeel, Tanveer Khalid, Safina Malik, Mujtaba, Aamir Shahzad, Arsalan and Mazhar.

Main character of ‘Budiya’ was played by Dr Zoya. Almost after seven months, Maas Foundation is performing in Pakistan after its team was attacked by a Hindu extremist group in India last November during a theatre performance.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2016