Meeting Manto Again

Taking a new dimension,Dhaliwal’s play will involve conversations Manto had with his three daughters. “The daughters are asking him about the allegations of vulgar writings levelled against him by a section of society and Manto is defending his writings before his daughters. All these conversations would be a part of the play,” shares Dhaliwal,who staged a play on Manto in Lahore five years back and was “honoured” by Manto’s daughters as well.

It was in 1948 that Manto shifted base to Pakistan from India. The years that followed had Manto turning into an alcoholic and that eventually led to his death. “We say that since Manto was born in India and worked at various places here,he is ours. The Pakistanis feel that he died in Pakistan and the best of his works were penned there and hence Manto is theirs. But,I feel Manto and his work can’t be divided like the boundaries of the two countries. Ik Si Manto would drive home this point as well,” says Dhaliwal.

The play would also highlight the satirical works of Manto and unfold the circumstances that inspired him to write. “The play will have references to all his six stories — Bu,Thanda Ghosht,Dhuan,Kaali

Salwar,Utte Hethan te Vichkar and Khol Do — and the controversies over them after the court cases and its impact on Manto,” says Dhaliwal. There would be a special mention of Tamasha,written by Manto on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Given that this is the 100th birth anniversary year,Dhaliwal is planning to hold a Manto Festival in

November,this year,where only Manto’s plays would be staged. “Theatre groups from India and Pakistan would participate in the festival,” says Dhaliwal.