Tale of the kaali shalwar
9 Nov 2012 3:11 AM IST
Kaali shalwar, can it really be more than a piece of attire? Yes, comes the reply from Atul Satya Koushik. 'It's a metaphor,' he says. The writer, director and theatre trainer has adapted the work by Saadat Hasan Manto and it will be up on stage today.
'The play Kaali Shalwar is originally by Manto and to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary we are paying a tribute to the Hindi/Urdu writer. The play has been produced by the Films and Theatre Society with an objective of production and promotion of theatrical plays and short films in India,' said Atul.
The play revolves around the dark corners of trivial but persuasive human desires. It's the story of Sultana, a prostitute in Mumbai who along with her partner Khudabaksh, is finding it difficult to survive despite being in the oldest profession in history.
Amidst this arrives the festival of Moharram and Sultana longs for a kaali shalwar to complete her attire for the occasion. Sultana needs to confront the ethics of her profession to be able to fulfill her desire.
'Manto's work has always been about human behaviour and desires. He never tried to look for hope or positivity. What is dark and evil remains so and never has any scope for change. It has to be either accepted this way and made a part or condemned with courage,' said Atul.
Kaali Shalwar is an hour long production which has more than 50 per cent of originality intact. 'Almost 75 per cent of the play is original. We have brought the changes while scripting certain dialogues, where I had to transform a short story into the play. We already had the half-cooked dish, I have cooked it fully and will serve it on the stage,' added Atul.
DETAIL
At: Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72, Lodhi Estate
When: TODAY
Timings: 7 pm onwards
Tickets: Rs 200
'The play Kaali Shalwar is originally by Manto and to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary we are paying a tribute to the Hindi/Urdu writer. The play has been produced by the Films and Theatre Society with an objective of production and promotion of theatrical plays and short films in India,' said Atul.
The play revolves around the dark corners of trivial but persuasive human desires. It's the story of Sultana, a prostitute in Mumbai who along with her partner Khudabaksh, is finding it difficult to survive despite being in the oldest profession in history.
Amidst this arrives the festival of Moharram and Sultana longs for a kaali shalwar to complete her attire for the occasion. Sultana needs to confront the ethics of her profession to be able to fulfill her desire.
'Manto's work has always been about human behaviour and desires. He never tried to look for hope or positivity. What is dark and evil remains so and never has any scope for change. It has to be either accepted this way and made a part or condemned with courage,' said Atul.
Kaali Shalwar is an hour long production which has more than 50 per cent of originality intact. 'Almost 75 per cent of the play is original. We have brought the changes while scripting certain dialogues, where I had to transform a short story into the play. We already had the half-cooked dish, I have cooked it fully and will serve it on the stage,' added Atul.
DETAIL
At: Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72, Lodhi Estate
When: TODAY
Timings: 7 pm onwards
Tickets: Rs 200
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