Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
Posted on: April 25, 2018 | 
| 中文
Eman (Iman Shahid) meeting Hamza (Zain Afzal)
When I heard that Olomopolo Media was preparing to stage a new production in town, I felt quite excited, especially having seen their last performance, “Mushk.” The latest play titled, “Jhaanjar Di Paanwaan Chhankaar,” (The sound of my anklets), was performed in Lahore from 20th to 22nd April, at Alhamra Arts Council. The play is headed to Karachi next, followed by Islamabad.
Written by Saeed Rahman and Fatima Maan, the story brought to light many aspects of growing up and discovering our identities. The play revolves around the character of Hamza (Zain Afzal), who has recently moved from his family home in Sheikhupura to an independent apartment in Lahore, where he encounters a rather interesting next door neighbor, Zaman. Brilliantly played by Sarmad Khoosat, Zaman is an aspiring actor, currently working on a film with the director Eman (Iman Shahid). In the film, he is a normal person by day but by night becomes obsessed with Pakistani film actress Anjuman. The friendship of the two characters develops as Hamza explains his passion for playing the guitar while Zaman talks about his dance practices for the film. The audience slowly gets to learn more about Hamza’s childhood, and about the most important person in his life i.e. his overprotective mother, Mrs. Sohail (Samiya Mumtaz).
The entire story is set in Hamza’s apartment, and the set design was really worth appreciating, with actual closets, ceiling lights and a refrigerator. Sound and music played an important role, tightly woven into Hamza’s tale due to the fact that he is a musician. The play had some classic music, including the title track ‘Jhaanjar Di Paawaan Chhankar’ sung by Madam Noor Jehan, and also Nayyara Noor’s ‘Kabhi Hum Khoobsurat Thay’ sung by Hamza. The story builds up as Mrs. Sohail suddenly shows up at Hamza’s apartment, only to find him in the company of Zaman, whom she immediately disapproves of. Afraid that her vulnerable son might associate himself with the wrong company, she urges him to return home.
The play is co-directed by Sarmad Khoosat and Kanwal Khoosat, with the contribution of the very talented actors. The dialogues were very well written, engaging the audience through humor and witty comebacks. The dialogue delivery by each actor was equally impactful, especially a conversation which occurs between Zaman and Mrs. Sohail in Hamza’s absence. Many of the thought provoking ideas were brought to life by Eman, as she explained the concept of her film when she encounters Hamza and Mrs. Sohail. Parenting, gender roles, friendships and sexuality were all themes which the play beautifully highlighted.
The strength of the play is in how it strategically balanced entertainment and audience engagement, while communicating a deeper message through its dialogues and characters. It wasn’t a simple idea to execute but the response by the audience was phenomenal, as the jam-packed hall rose to appreciate the effort. The play had a somewhat clichéd ending, and might have been even more impactful if it had been left open ended.
One of the most interesting interactions with the story is actually through the photo gallery on display outside the hall, in which the themes of the story are communicated through photography and framing. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the ideas brought forth by the play, it is still likely that the audience will find themselves relating to one or more of the carefully crafted characters. The tickets were sold out for the last show in Lahore, and we are very excited to see what Olomopolo Media brings us next!
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