ISLAMABAD: The folk tale of Punjab Heer Waris Shah based on the poetry of famous Sufi poet Waris Shah was presented at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in the form of a stage play.

The theatre play was presented in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and Dolphin Communication. Its script was written by Arshad Chahal and directed by Asma Butt. Mohammad Salman Sunni was the assistant director.

The role of Waris Shah was played by Shabir Shah, Ranjha by Kaleem Khan, the role of Heer played by Nirmal Ali, that of Keido played by Mehboob Ilyas while Imran Rushdi acted as Kherhy.

A large number of people were present in the hall to watch the drama. The spontaneous acting of the characters captivated the audience and received a lot of applause.

The audience said the drama based on the life of Waris Shah provided quality entertainment to them.

They said dramas should be presented on stage as these reflect our culture and traditions.

On this occasion, fellow actors said a great drama was created by combining strong impressions with acting, dialogue delivery and script techniques.

Director Asma Butt said such plays, along with providing quality entertainment to the audience, help in enlightening the youth about their culture and traditions, which promote the message of peace, love and harmony, and that even today there are people who keep the concept of theatre alive.

Three idiots

A family stage drama ‘Three Idiots’ was also presented at RAC in collaboration with Potohar One Production.

The producer of the play was Zahoor Ahmed Shah, director Shehzad Pappu and writer Yar Mohammad Khan. Senior artists, including Nawaz Anjum Zulqarnain Haider, Ahmed Nawaz, Hameed Babar, Shehzad. Pappu, Sameera Rajput, Sofia Ali, Rizwana Khan, Anjam Abbasi, Farooq Jani, Shams Nissa and Mumtaz Kodo, featured in the drama.

PML-N MNA Tahira Aurangzeb was chief guest and Parliamentary Secretary Information and Culture Department Shazia Rizwan was special guest on the occasion.

‘Three Idiots’ entertained the audience with laughter, emotions and memorable moments. The play, presented with brilliant acting and an interesting storyline, was well received.

Speaking on the occasion, MNA Tahira Aurangzeb said the play was also thought-provoking on important aspects of life. “Both the acting and the story were fantastic,” she said.

Shazia Rizwan said the popularity of the drama was a proof that the best quality of entertainment can be provided in the local theatre as well. Ms Aurangzeb and Ms Rizwan encouraged the artists and awarded them certificates.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024