![Artists performing in a play during the concluding day of the National Theatre Festival at Jammu on Saturday. Artists performing in a play during the concluding day of the National Theatre Festival at Jammu on Saturday.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P-20.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 1: Ongoing National Theatre Festival concluded this evening here at Abhinav Theatre with the presentation of famous Play “Ghalib at Quarantine” staged by a team of Natraj Natya Kunj Cultural Society Jammu. The play was written by Vermaji with design & direction by Abhishek Bharti.
This first of its kind festival was organised by Abhinaya Kala Manch Reasi and supported by Ministry of Culture Government of India, in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
On the concluding day Khalid Hussain eminent writer & Sahitya Akademi Awardee was the chief guest whereas S. K. Sharma Rtd. Commissioner Income Tax was the guest of honour. Film maker Tariq Khan was the special guest.
The Play based on the Life, Letters and poetries of Mirza Ghalib, “Ghalib at Quarantine” Play revolves around the character, who got stuck at some place amid Covid crisis and sudden lockdown. Being got stuck for long time he relates himself to the Mirza Ghalib, who got stuck in a similar way in 1857. He enacts his poetries, his letters and his life to pass his time. The play shares some interesting facts about Mirza Ghalib, and his attachment to Delhi.
At one place, as Mirza’s wife is persuading him to leave Delhi and return to Agra as she believes he won’t be able to survive peacefully in the capital. The play was designed in such a way that it depicts the era of Mirza Ghalib as the Director tried his level best to recreate the poetries of Mirza Ghalib to give it a contemporary feel at the same time keeping intact the old era.
The artist who acted in the play were Balwinder Singh as Mirza Ghalib, Anu Thakur as Begum, Anjali Sharma as Tavayaf, Vishal Pandita as Fakir, back stage make-up and costumes by Anu Thakur, sets and props by Virji Sumbly, light design by Aaditya Bharti , music by Vishal Pandita, singers Anjali Sharma and Vishal Pandita, Rhythm Nitish Kumar.
On this occasion trailer of the movie named “Era of 1990” has been launched which is directed by Shahid Kazmi.
Festival director, Shadab Khan said he is happy that the five day festival of plays in Hindi, Dogri, Urdu, were staged with an overwhelming response from the audience and also complimented Ministry of Culture Government of India and J& K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.