Amraiz Khan
Ajoka Theatre’s “Jhalli Kithay Javay” a Punjabi Play thrilled the audience at Lahore Arts Council’s Theater Festival on Thursday evening here.
Prominent personalities and audience from different walks of life attended the show and admired the play’s theme, message and performances.
Ajoka’s “Jhalli Kithay Javay” is directed by Nirvaan Nadeem. The evergreen play is a multidimensional observation on the societal pressures and domination faced by Pakistani women the play illustrated through music, dance and dialogues in verse forms native to our land.
Shahid Nadeem’s play portrayed the story of a young bride named ‘Jhalli’ whose husband goes abroad immediately after the wedding and is unable to return because of demands of his family. Nobody wants to welcome or help the new bride. In an insensitive environment the only expression of her anguish is through hysterical outbursts.
The turning point of the play comes when her family regarded “Jhalli” (Madiha) as having been possessed by evil spirits. In an attempt to cure her families who are from a poor rural area take the Jhalli from one spiritual healer to another without success. The story is linked by two narrators (Ravi) in the traditional style and is mostly illustrated through dance, music and dialogues in verse forms.
All actors who performed in the play at 21st Alhamra theatre festival are students of Ajoka Institute’s Acting Class. All actors performed greatly which met immense applause from the audience.
Executive Director Lahore Arts Council Ather Ali Khan said that the Alhamra Theatre Festival is a free entertainment for people of Lahore where various theatre dramas groups stage their dramas. We want to revive our theatre and bring people back to the serious and quality theatre.
