Review: GHALIB IN NEW DELHI: What If the poet Revisited Us?

Back in 1997, on the anniversary of legendary poet Mirza Ghalib, a play was launched that re-imagined the poet laureate in the contemporary world. More than two decades and 400 shows later, the play continues to evoke laughter and contemplation amongst the audience. Last week the play was staged for 400th time in New Delhi and will be staged again next month at Canvas Laugh Club in Noida.

Scripted and directed by Dr M Sayeed Alam, the play in a hilarious manner reimagines what would happen if the 19th century poet were to find his way in the current day Delhi.

Those who are familiar with Delhi must have visited or would have heard about that narrow by lane in Ballimaran in the walled city that was home to the poet who immortalized his name through his couplets. The play through a series of current affairs examines could the poet come and stay at his abode today?

Presented by Pierrot's Troupe, the play is hilarious look at the socio-political environment shaping the world today. So as you comfort yourself into a full house theatre, hoping to see a series of chaste Urdu dialogues and circumstances from the days of the yore, you are suitably surprised to be mulling about Punjab elections, terror activities and tax-fraud cases -- all this through the eyes of Ghalib. So, the satire on society makes you laugh as you watch Ghalib trying to work his way around English. The play imagines Ghalib to be re-born in Delhi but this time instead of being in Old Delhi, he finds himself in the ISBT area, a cheap locality for many students from outstation who come to Delhi University to study. Our modern day ghalib also has a room mate -- Jai Hind, a student at DU. Together the two share the accomodation owned by Mrs Chaddha. The diversity that the city of Delhi packs in is showed by the variations in the languages spoken by the three main characters. While Jai Hind speaks a Bihari dialect, Mrs Chadha talks in Punjabi with Dilli slangs and Ghalib brings in his pure Urdu. The confusion and the hilarity that the linguistic barriers create amongst the characters also is a reflection upon how people from all parts of the country have made Delhi their home. The comic timing of the dialogues and incidents is the first thing that will grip you to the play. If Ghalib's experiences with a migrant in Delhi and his landlady were not enough, the play also has Ghalib turning into a page 3 personality in the city.

Dr Alam is convincing and hilarious as he plays the all-important role of Mirza Ghalib. Other actors in the play -- HimaNshu Shrivastava, Manish Singh, Niti Phool and Ayman Ansari flawlessly deliver their parts. The highlight remains the re-imagination of bringing the looming personality of the 19th century Delhi to the city as we know it today. Perhaps Ghalib knew Delhi in a different light but my contrasting the observations the director successfully shows us what should be acceptable and what not in the way the times are shaping us.

A brilliant study in contrast of times and events. A must watch even if you have read Ghalib or not.

The play will be staged next in Noida

Where: Canvas Laugh Club, Noida

When: August 5, 4.00PM

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