The Drama Club’s presentation Siyaah Haashiye consisted of two short plays, each of which was based on the short stories of writer Saadat Hasan Manto. The plays, which revolved around the India-Pakistan Partition, were performed in the auditorium on 5th April.
The first play, Toba Tek Singh, followed the life of Bishan Singh, a lunatic in a mental asylum in Pakistan. Bishan Singh was unaware of the fate of his hometown, Toba Tek Singh – whether it had been retained by India or partitioned to Pakistan. When the Government of Pakistan released its Hindu and Sikh prisoners, the now free Bishan Singh roamed around in search of his hometown. In the confusion that ensued after the Partition, no one seemed to know whether Toba Tek Singh was in India or in Pakistan. Eventually, the agony of not being able to find his hometown got the better of him, and he died confused and alone.
Khol Do, the second play, told the story of Sirajuddin, a man who lost his daughter Sakeena during the Partition. Sirajuddin, unable to find Sakeena by himself, sought the help of three young men. The men found a girl who matched Sirajuddin’s description of Sakeena, and promised to take her to him. Later, when Sirajuddin asked these men if they had found his daughter, they denied it. A grieving Sirajuddin later saw a woman being taken to the hospital, and was surprised to see that it was none other than Sakeena. However, his joy at this reunion was short-lived, for she was injured and fading fast. When the doctor said ‘Khidki khol do’ (Open the window), Sakeena got flashbacks of the three men saying ‘Khol do’, indicative of the fact that they had violated her and left her to die.
Both plays revolved around the central theme of loss. Toba Tek Singh was a reminder of how deeply one’s identity is connected to one’s roots, and how the loss of identity can drive one to despair. Khol Do spoke about the struggles of the families that got separated during the Partition, and how innocent civilians became victims of sexual violence.
The performance of the cast was remarkable, not only giving these characters life but also realistically expressing the pain they felt. The inmates at the mental asylum were wonderfully portrayed, with stand out performances by Bishan Singh and ‘Khuda’ a patient who believes he is God. Great attention to detail was paid to the backdrop – a layout of green and blue papers was used to show the divide between India and Pakistan.
Drama Club has done a great job with this play and one hopes to see more of their presentations in the coming semesters.