Writer-director of Wo Lahore, Atul Satya Koushik (right), tells t2 why you should catch the play reliving the days of Indian Independence on the morning of August 15 at GD Birla Sabhagar...

What’s special about Wo Lahore?

The fact that it is a story of the troubled times seen through the eyes of an ordinary, middle-class woman. It is not from the perspective of India or Pakistan, nor any set of politicians for or against the Partition. It speaks about the lakhs of people who had to keep going despite their dreams being shattered.

Your protagonist is a middle-class woman…

Yes. Jamuna is a person who tries to keep her family together when there’s a lot of tragedy. She has to make tough choices and stand by her children. She is like a metaphor for our country that tries to keep her people together despite differences among them — be it political, cultural or aspirational. It also goes to show how important a role the Indian woman plays when it comes to striking a balance between emotional and political choices.

What prompted you to write such a play about a time that has already been written about by so many people?

Well, I had written a short story called Jamuna when I was in college (Shri Ram College of Commerce). Wo Lahore is a dramatisation of that story. Our college had students from all over the country and some from Pakistan too. They used to share their stories from back home, and all seemed quite similar, on a certain level, to what we experience here in India. So that’s when I got the idea to write the story. In Jamuna, I tried to see big, political events through the eyes of common citizens.

 

TV actor Avtar Gill has a cameo in the play… 

Oh yes, he is a very senior actor and has been associated with IPTA for many years now. He keeps coming and commenting on the narrative and recites poems. But he is not the sutradhar. His character has got a special connect to the story unfolding on stage and it is revealed to the audience only at the end of the play. 

Calcutta is going to watch the 40th show of this play. Your expectations?

People have always liked the play for its emotional connect. We are staging it in Calcutta on Independence Day and I believe watching the play one will be reminded of where our freedom comes from. I am excited to see how Calcutta responds to the drama. I am also bringing my latest plays, Draupadi and Chakravyuh, to Calcutta soon.

---

What: Wo Lahore, a play partnered by t2, and presented by Master Minds Theatre and Weavers Studio Centre for the Arts 
Where: GD Birla Sabhagar
When: August 15, 11am
The play: Set in Lahore of 1940s, this musical drama in Hindi with a smattering of Punjabi revolves around a woman’s struggle to keep her family afloat during political trouble. 
Written and directed by: Atul Satya Koushik
Players: Shakti Singh, Sachin Joshi, Tarun Dang, Sonam Kanotra, Rahul Bhuchar, Megha Arup, Sushmita Mehata, Faruk Khan and Barkha Sethi. Veteran actor Avtar Gill will have a special appearance.
Duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes, including a 10-minute interval.
Tickets: Priced between Rs 1,000 and Rs 4,000, available on www.bookmyshow.com and at the venue (11am to 6pm). 
Organiser speak: “Wo Lahore speaks of the emotions of these characters during Partition. Come and relive India’s history on Independence Day,” said Surekha Mimani of Master Minds Theatre.

Text: Sibendu Das