“Rakhte ke tum hi ustad nahi ho ‘galib’
Kehte hai, agle jamane mein koi mir bhi tha”
Saturday evening Ghalib came alive through Natak Company’s production of Mi… Ghalib at Gyaan Adab.
The story unfolds as Ghalib travels to Delhi with his wife. His journey through his shayaris depicts his rise and fall from fortune and fame. His losses are mirrored by the writer protagonist. The playwright and director cleverly shift through languages, centuries to intertwine the lives of Ghalib and the protagonist. In the end, Delhi is crumbling as Ghalib’s life falls apart. The play also raises the question about adaptation of period characters and the so-called-importance of authenticity.
Ghalib’s shayaris are accompanied by live soulful music that heightens his poetry. The shayaris are displayed on the screen as the musicians sing the verses. The cast move through time effortlessly and the script is tightly fine-tuned with the direction.
Throughout the two hours, the audience was gripped to their seats sharing Ghalib’s sorrows and laughing at the hilarity of the absurdities of life. Actor-writer Om Bhutkar who essayed the role of Ghalib thanked the Gyaan Adab patrons for being such a great audience. The play received rave reviews.
