Motley’s Ismat Aapa Ke Naam – Play Review

Urdu literature has never been defined best than in the words of famous writers Sadat Hasan Manto and Ismat Chughtai. Both these legends, these maestros’s of Urdu world have been adequately touched upon by Naseeruddin Shah’s Theatre group Motely. Specifically Ismat Chughtai hai has been glorified in this popular performance ‘Ismat Aapa Ke Naam’ featuring three stories of Ismat Chugtai narrated and dramatized by Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah and Heeba Shah. Ismat Aapa Ke Naam is one of the best works presented by Motely Theatre group which gives a tribute to Ismat Chughtai and introduces the young minds to the best of literature in its pure form.

The performance initiates with Heeba Shah recounted a short story called ‘Chue Mue’ or the Touch Me Not plant by Ismat Chughtai. The story relates the tale of a lady who got married into rich household. She is as dedicate as a 'Touch Me Not' shrub. It seems that she is all pampered and bestowed to be a rich household’s bride. However, the fact that she cannot bear a child snatches her security of a husband as he goes on to marry another woman. This is put in contrast with a scene of a poor woman who deliver her baby herself in a train and cuts the umbilical cord with a nail cutter’s knife. This is witnessed and narrated in a small girls first person’s perspective who herself in tied up in the knots of traditions and stereotypes.

The second tale is of a wedding that was never accomplished for its purpose in that era. It is known as ‘Mughal Bachha’ or also as ‘Ghunghat’– ‘The Veil’ which was never raised. A beautiful lady, a girl married at the age of 12 or 13 remains barren and unhappy all her life as she couldn't succeed  in one task of her life – marriage and conceiving.  All this happens over silly attitudes and self-esteem of a man. Ant the stringent traditions of a society that could neither favor or rebuke a different kind of marriage that the couple could create. Mughal baccha fees away on the night of his wedding after being denied an unveiling of the 'Ghunghat' by his wife. In arrogance,  he leaves to cherish other women and never to return until death chooses to bring him back in his last stage of life. Even then, he is stuck to his ego like a magnet and dies without having seen the face of his fairest wife. The story brings out the unspoken sorrow of an unfortunate girl who to her death never saw the face of joy. It is a tragic wonder as to how she could have answered the (sexual) call of her body all her life. This was brilliantly put forward by Ratna Pathak Shah who in a fantastic way related the tail. So did Heeba Shah. It was as though they had absorbed the character of the stories with trivial of efforts.

The final story was more of an added layer to the most brilliant theatrical encounter.  Nasseruddin Shah in his turn related a wonderful, comical and satirical tale of love, lust, laws and jealousy. A free bird of love comes to serve at Mirza’s house and serves him with hospitality and love only in return for a little respect and a something more. She gets that, her wings are chipped for a while with the word ‘Nikha’ meaning marriage but then she is freed once again only to return to the soft heart and gullible Mirza. And goes on the hilarious game of love and lust and jealousy.

Words are too less to describe the beauty of ‘Ismat Aapa Ke Naam’. Nor did I do the injustice of letting too much out through them. The performance uses a lot of actions, enacting, and implements unimaginable kind of comedy rising from forgotten past. It is absolutely amusing to see Motley on Stage casting an ancient spell.  The set uses a huge king sized bed, chairs and lamps a midst the tales unfold them self. They are beautifully supported by the lights and sounds. Of course the Shah family is seen at their best in this blend of narrations. All of them do a brilliant job at bringing alive the quintessential task of storytelling without as much as change a word in them. ‘Ismat Aapa Ke Naam’ is a must watch for the theatre lover. Motley certainly brings you theatre at its best.