A 1950s clandestine love affair between Indian literary legends Sahir Ludhianvi and Amrita Pritam has been in the public eye since last year, after directors for screen and stage decided to dig deeper into their lives.
While Bollywood's biopic on Ludhianvi, a celebrated Urdu poet and award-winning lyricist, will have Irrfan Khan playing the lead, the stage dramatisation, which opened in Mumbai last year and comes to Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre this weekend under the direction of Saif Hyder Hasan, has the Bollywood actor and TV host Shekhar Suman playing the poet. The 52-year-old actor will be joined by Indian actress and writer Deepti Naval, who plays Pritam in the play Ek Mulaqaat.
To prepare for his role of the introverted Ludhianvi, Suman watched documentaries and listened to sound bites by the poet, so he could master the pure Urdu nazms (prose poems) that reflect his emotions for Pritam. He tells The National why their love story makes for good theatre.
Why does Ludhianvi’s life appeal to you?
I think the man he was and his whole approach towards life and romance is quite appealing. He was an intense shayar [poet] and he wrote some of the most beautiful poetry and lyrics for the film industry. He was different from the herd and wasn't very communicative. His romance with Amrita was an unrequited love story. Sahir never accepted her publicly and that's how it stayed. But even when they were apart, she built a career and life in Delhi and he was in Mumbai, they kept in touch. I feel like Sahir is much like the character played by Amitabh Bachchan in Kabhie Kabhie (1976).
Why would their story interest the audience?
For one, the way we have structured the play will impress the audience. We have the two legends expressing themselves through their poetry, which isn’t forthright. Only people who knew them would know they were writing for each other. The mystery in their love was very exciting. The play isn’t very long or verbose, either. Amrita had once mentioned that Sahir would sit in front of her, looking at her for hours, but wouldn’t speak. We’ve captured that intensity and used it in the recitations of his poems.
What aspect of their life are you playing on stage?
There was a time when they had gone their separate ways, but continued to keep in touch. Our play begins with Sahir appearing on the terrace of her home in Delhi one cold wintry night. She is bemused to find him there and the story continues with them talking about their past and why they couldn’t be together. There is also a twist in the end, which I cannot reveal.
The Bollywood movie in the works faced some legal trouble with Pritam’s grandchildren, who didn’t want her life to be commercialised. Did you face any such trouble?
I think the director, Saif Hyder, spoke to a few people who said it wasn’t a biopic and that it was just in a fictional space, so nobody objected. In the play, we do talk about things that happened between them, but it still is a fictional setting.
How hard was it to get the nazms and the Urdu language right?
That was the biggest challenge. As an actor, getting the emotions, stance and body language right is one thing, but mastering the language is the most important. I worked hard on the recitation, the intonations, inflections. It wasn't all that difficult because I was handed Ludhianvi's book of poems called Parchhaiyan at the age of 8 and grew up on that. So when I was approached for the play, I already knew most of the poems. I kept reading and catching up on documentaries, YouTube sound bites, which helped enormously, as well. I visited his house and his college in Ludhiana, just to get a feel of where he studied and the auditorium that has been named after him.
You’ve done it all – acting, directing, writing and hosting. Is there any unfulfilled desire as far as your career goes?
Loads of them. I feel like I have just started and know nothing. There are miles to go before I sleep. I definitely see myself directing a lot of good films.
So, is there a film on the cards?
I am actually writing a script about a love story set against the Mumbai riots of 1993. It's called Mumbai Dying and I think by September it should be ready to hit the floor.
• Ek Mulaqaat will be performed in Urdu/Hindi at Ductac – Mall of the Emirates on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, from 8pm. Tickets are priced from Dh150 and are available at www.ductac.org
aahmed@thenational.ae
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Intercontinental Cup
Namibia v UAE Saturday Sep 16-Tuesday Sep 19
Table 1 Ireland, 89 points; 2 Afghanistan, 81; 3 Netherlands, 52; 4 Papua New Guinea, 40; 5 Hong Kong, 39; 6 Scotland, 37; 7 UAE, 27; 8 Namibia, 27
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
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Winner: Raakezz, Tadhg O’Shea, Nicholas Bachalard
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
Winner: Au Couer, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
Winner: Rayig, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
Winner: King’s Shadow, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
