SIACHEN

When you put Stage, Anwar Maqsood, and Dawar Mehmood (of KopyKats Productions) together the trio gives you 90 minutes of total bliss! They give you theater like no other! Mind you this one is way better than Umar Shareef and his “Baqra Qiston Pe”.

Anwar Maqsood doesn’t really need an introduction, the name simply demands respect! We know anything from his pen will be golden. “Tanz – o – Maza” is a phrase associated with Anwar Sahab, and from the days of PTV we’ve heard him say and write things that others may not have gotten away with ever. Even today when he writes for stage, you need to keep those minds open to understand his simple statements coz there’s a lot of ‘between the line’ meaning to them. Of course, if you’re knowledge of politics is as limited to mine then you can just simply laugh away at the obvious joke and nobody will know any better (The best part about his plays).

Dawar Mehmod is the magician that puts together the whole act; he directs these plays and gives them these perfect structures that make us want to return for more. I’ve seen 3 of his previous plays namely Aangan Tera, Haalf Playt, Pawnay 14 August and I can’t praise them enough.

"Siachen” was different from the others one basic reason was unlike the others where as a viewer I made a connection with one or two of the characters on stage, and my focus remained on them at all times. “Siachen” did not let me relate to any character yet I felt connected with each and every one of them. It made me laugh and cry in the same act. One moment I was laughing hysterically the next I was wiping off tears. The 90 minutes I spent there was time well spent, I wouldn’t have minded a 3 hour show either but let’s not be too selfish now!

At the end of this play I may still not be able to understand completely the ordeal our soldiers face up at that height protecting Pakistan but I did come to realize it’s not easy at all. Sleeping in a warm bed and having warm food day in and out I forget to thank the Almighty for a lot of things and then there are those who leave the security of their homes to make our lives secure! Kudos to them! Thank you team Siachen for giving me an insight into their lives.

Now anytime anyone asks me their review on a play by Anwar & Dawar I’m all like… ‘Yeah yeah go see it, it’s amazing, It’ll make you love stage, you’ll forget watching movies after this’ and I’m glad to say that I’ve converted plenty of skeptical people to becoming diehard fans of stage. And needless to say I know I’ve got a gang ready to join me for the next play that will come whenever it will.