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Ajoka looking to change social perceptions through art

Staff Report

LAHORE: Ajoka Theatre will stage two plays in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council (LAC) and Depilex Smileagain Foundation (DSF), a one-woman-show based on violence against women titled ‘Khali Kamrah’ (The Empty Room), and an issue based play on society’s warped perception of heroes, who are forced by social pressure to turn into villains, titled ‘Dushman’ (Enemy).

‘Khali Kamrah’ is a solo performance by Faryal Gauhar which enables one to enter the private domains of several women, each of whom bears resemblances to people one knows, and by entering the ‘rooms’ inhabited by these women, one faces a mirror that reflects ones own life. The turmoil, joy and sorrow depicted in the play will be dedicated to women who are victims of domestic violence. The play will be an hour-long journey into the lives of such women, often hidden from view in the shadows of empty rooms.

Faryal Gauhar told Daily Times that the play had especially been staged to raise funds for the DSF, which supported a particular group of women who had survived domestic violence such as acid attacks. She said that DSF managed the medical and surgical component for such women in Pakistan and also ensured that the victims had an opportunity to become productive, self-reliant members of society.

Shahid Nadeem, the writer of Dushman, said that the play was the Urdu adaptation of an English play titled ‘Enemy of The People’, written by Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen. He said that the play, directed by Madiha Gauhar, was being staged to commemorate the death anniversary of the renowned literary icon who had made a great contribution to English literature.

The story of the play revolves around how societies sometimes depict heroes as villains. It shows a scientist who discovers a very useful property of water, which he thinks will benefit the people. Later, he finds the water unhealthy and harmful and tells the people not to use it, whereby the people accuse him for using the water for his own benefits. The scientist, who thinks he had done a heroic deed by warning the people, suddenly finds himself portrayed as the villain.

Nadeem said that declaring someone an infidel or an enemy of Islam or state was a political weapon frequently used by religious political establishments and in most cases, the selfish and narrow-minded majority trampled the truth and heroes ended up as villains. He said that this was the case in Pakistan.

The cast includes Malik Aslam, Farhan Aslam, Sarfraz Ansari, Furqan Majeed, Imranul Haq, Eva Majid and Kamran Mujahid. He said that the play had been performed at the Ebson Festival and the Dhaka International Festival, and would be staged in Nepal next. Khali Kamrah will be staged on October 30 at Alhamra, while Dushman will be staged on October 31 and November 1 at the same venue.

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