The poetic play Ek Mulaqat (a rendezvous) explores relationship of two eminent authors of the era – Amrita Pritam and Sahir Ludhianvi. The unrequited love is presented through a fictional meeting between Amrita and Sahir at the terrace. They discuss the unspent moment, the content of the letters and the many challenges on their ways to be together. This is a biographical play where the lives of the characters is dramatized and presented in theatrical presentation, with many poems orated through the performance.
The characterization is detailed and both Deepti and Shekhar complement each other. The oration of the poems and songs is done extremely well. Instead of the Bollywood and popular versions, the play sticks to the original Urdu versions, which is tough to understand at many times. I can only imagine how tough it would have been for the performers to by-heart and orate them live with such intensity and emotions! Knowing Shekhar Suman from ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ fame, it was a mesmerizing and captivating experience for me. Dipti Naval was as flawless as ever.
This is an extremely well done piece of art and must be watched by those who have liked the duo’s literary works. In addition to giving a glimpse into the lives of the famous duo, the play also provides a rare opportunity to see two brilliant actors orating the iconic lines. The play would also intrigue those who are interested in understanding and feeling the society at large of the era – a lot of research must have gone in bringing alive the lives of the legends and it shows through the play. The duo talks not only about unrequited love, but also about the inequalities, Indo-Pak partition, marriage and more. And most importantly, all of it comes together beautifully as a complete package!
AglaPlay Verdict: An amazing experience, laced with beautiful Urdu poetry AglaPlay Rating: 4.5/5 Language: Hindi / Urdu Duration: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Writer: Saif Hyder Hasan, Somana Ahmed Director: S H Hasan Cast: Shekhar Suman (Sahir), Deepti Naval (Amrita)
Below are a few relevant links.
Other Links Amrita Pritam Wikipedia Sahir Ludianvi Wikipedia A good read on the play at HT A take on duo's relation