‘Dastangoi’: An ode to Urdu storytelling
Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions, under the aegis of Ismat Chugtai, tomorrow at The Junction
Hush. It’s time to listen — to stories set in yesteryear; to emotions that take to the wind and travel around the world; to tales that may seem inexplicable and yet resound. Listen, for you shall not understand the nuances without hearing the staggering breath that duels with sentiment or without paying attention to the rhythm that dances through the renderings.
Dastangoi, which comes to The Junction, Alserkal tomorrow, is the resurrection of an ancient style of storytelling — theatrical and oratory — in Urdu/ Hindi. Popular during the Mughal era and revived in the 20th century, Dastangoi’s
Dubai edition will feature the duo Askari Naqvi and Sunil Mehra. And stories from the witty literary icon that was Ismat Chughtai. The winner of the 1976 Padma Shri was known as a powerhouse with an addiction to feminism and reform, and a knack for word weaving.
Ahead of the show, tabloid! caught up with Mehra, who assured us that observers would find themselves on quite a ride.
“The audience could expect a rollercoaster ride through a kaleidoscope of emotions. Stories that will make them laugh, cry, turn wistful: stories in which they’ll find echoes of their own dreams, doubts, joys, disappointments, bits and pieces of their own lives and of people they’ve known,” he said.
The duo, who performed last year to a standing ovation in the city, are bringing new material.
“[It’s] a brand new repertoire of Ismat Chugtai at her lacerating, visceral, poetic, satirical, idiomatic, poignant best,” said Mehra.
Both the familiarity of the emirates — “The large expat Indian/ Pakistani audience “knew” the language, the nuance, the poetry” — and the connections established — “people laughed and cried with us” — lure the performers in. It’s an old greed, explains Mehra.
“We need to hear stories. We need to tell stories. We need to re-establish connections; not just remain emotionally involved with blinking mobile/iPad/ computer screens.”
To create those links through a Persian tradition is just the cherry on top. However, says Mehra, the stories themselves are relevant — not antiquated, abstract things. “Desire and it’s suppression, patriarchy and the attendant cruelty, misogyny and it’s miasmas: they all exist. The more things change, the more they are the same. Our women in our stories rebel. They want to change that. And therein lies Chugtai’s power as a writer,” he says.
Dastangoi dives into Urdu-Hindi explanations — and language can turn into a labyrinth of babble. Except for one small thing. “The show has taught us languages don’t have religions or nationalities. Likewise, emotions… people everywhere are the same. We all laugh. We all cry. We all rage, exult, despair the same way. Humanity has a heart in common,” says Mehra.
He recalls being connected to a cast of watchers. “When everybody in the audience silently mouthed the heart rending Munir Niazi lines I was reciting along with me; tears coursing down their cheeks,” he recalls, was one of his best moments.
“The empathetic audience, the emotional connect, the incredible synergy is what we look forward to in Dubai!”
And so… hush. Just listen.