21-day “Awami Theatre Festival” organized by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is underway with great success. On the 13th day of the festival, the play “Rishtay” was staged, written and directed by Zakir Mastana. The cast included Zakir Mastana, Shakeel Shah, Parvez Siddiqui, Sapna Ghazal, Mehak Noor, Shahni Azeem, Arma Ahmed, Ali Zakir, Shehbaz Sanam, and Tariq Guddu. The play “Rishtay” revolved around a domestic story, featuring a husband, wife, and their servants.
The servant, who dreams of becoming an actor, responds to everything dramatically, showcasing his passion for acting. The plot unfolds as the financially struggling husband marries a wealthy woman and gains prosperity. However, conflicts arise when the wife frequently reminds him that their wealth belongs to her father and brother. The story takes a turn when the wife’s brother returns from America, and the husband’s sister moves in from her hostel.
The husband, feeling threatened by his brother-in-law’s presence, stages a series of ghostly pranks to drive him away while the husband calls a thug, adding comedic twists. Meanwhile, romance blossoms between the husband’s sister and the brother-in-law. In the climax, the brother-in-law confronts the husband, accusing him of valuing money over relationships. He offers to leave all the wealth behind and return to America. This emotional revelation prompts the Husband’s sister to declare her love for sister in law’s brother, agreeing to accompany him to America.
The play delivered a strong message that wealth is not everything, and greed can destroy close relationships. A large audience attended the performance, applauding the cast for their exceptional work. The engaging storyline and stellar performances were met with enthusiastic applause, making it a memorable evening for theatre enthusiasts.
