Ismat Chugtai was born in 1915 in pre-partition India and became a feminist when the Muslim community did not know what feminism meant. The youngest of nine children and an unwelcome one because she was a girl, Ismat reportedly began writing on scraps of papers to cuss out her brothers. She went on to write on topics that were taboo in a conservative Muslim society, with a wit, sarcasm and humor that is quite unparalleled. One of her stories “Lihaaf” which dealt with lesbianism even landed her in court as a case was filed accusing the writer of obscenity. The charges were dropped four years later. Her writing is spicy, irreverent, witty and universal in appeal to this day. In spite of being written decades ago her work remains relevant and fresh because of the key issue it deals with-human relationships.
On 10th September Ajit Mehta, who is well known in Michigan for patronizing and showcasing good quality theater, hosted actors Naseeruddin Shah, wife Ratna Pathak Shah and daughter Heeba Shah on stage at West Bloom field High School. The talented family brought to life Ismat Chugtai’s work by presenting three of her stories in mesmerizing fashion.
Ismat Chugtai
The interesting thing about this presentation was the fact that each story was read out in Urdu exactly as it was written by Chugtai. The beauty of the presentation lay in the rendition of each story, as the actors made it each one come alive before the eyes of the audience.
The props were simple. A sketch of the pillars of a home in the background, a large futon and assorted pillows that Muslims used in the early half of the 20th century.
The first story was read by Naseeruddin Shah’s talented daughter Heeba and was called Chui Mui. Seen through the eyes of a young girl the story begins with a very pregnant relative trying to board a train to go home for her delivery. The woman who was the cynosure of everyone’s eyes has now lost her charm to some extent because she has been unable to provide her husband an heir, miscarrying each time. This time thanks to vigilant medical care, and many superstitious rituals to ward off the evil eye the young woman, who is already troubled with nightmares of a second marriage for her husband is well on her way to hatching.
In fact she is doing so well that it is decided to dispatch her to her parental home for delivery as per tradition. To ensure her safety and comfort the entire train compartment is booked for her, her elderly woman caretaker is accompanying her, along with this young girl. All is well as the train chugs along towards its destination when the trio’s reverie is suddenly shaken by a highly pregnant low caste young girl, who manages to scramble in to their compartment. As the older lady curses the young woman’s youth and her pregnancy, the young woman goes into labor and delivers a healthy baby on the floors of the compartment. Her chewed up lips relax into a chapped smile, as she rips a piece of cloth from her sari, cleans the child, and borrows a nail cutting knife to severe the umbilical chord.
Abuses and curses continue to be showered on her for the mess she has created-soon the woman lays the infant under the berth, then proceeds to clean the floor with water, raises her self, lifts the baby and leaves the compartment, as a shocked ticket collector gawks at her, and an envious pregnant woman goes into labor and miscarries again.
The ease with which a low caste woman delivers her child and goes on with her life is in stark contrast to the pampered high class woman whose class cannot protect her from her barren existence. The elements of the story were presented with great histrionic ease by Heeba. Her pronunciation and the vocal switch from a young girl to an elderly cantankerous care taker were both impeccable as were her gesticulations to enhance the narration.
The second story was recited by Ratna Pathak Shah the beautiful actress wife of Naseeruddin Shah, whose mother Dina Pathak was a formidable talent both in theater and films.
Ratna read a story called “Mughal Bachcha” which focuses on the zamindars , the landed gentry whose forefathers were the mughals and who were still resting on those long lost laurels. The men, instead of working, sold the family heirlooms and pretended nothing had changed. Intertwined in the threads of the fabric of those defunct mughal lives, was a story of lost love and how pride that brings down nations, can cause a major divide in human lives
The story begins in remembrance, of an era gone by where the beautiful fair skinned gori bi is betrothed to the black as coal kale miyan. A wisecrack made in jest during the betrothal ceremony where Kale mian is told not to raise the veil of the bride or touch her or she will be soiled, pierces the young bridegroom’s heart, shattering his pride; so much so that on the wedding night he orders the bride to raise her veil herself.
The young bride then a mere 12 year old is already confused and nervous and when she doesn’t respond, kale mian walks out on her and joins the army. There he remains for seven years womanizing and living a life of excess, when suddenly he receives news of his father’s impending demise.
He returns home and the father decides not to die now that the prodigal son is back and will hopefully accept the beautiful bride he left behind. Gori bi is now a gorgeous 19 year-old, but kale mian still remains adamant, and orders her again to lift her own veil. This time she understands and refuses out of anger. Kale Mian leaves in a huff again only to return 40 years later on his last legs. As the years passed her by the virgin bride has transformed into a gray haired woman but has continued to dress like a bride in anticipation of Kale Miyan’s return. As her loved ones pass away, she continues to live a reclusive life, becoming the center of many stories.
And then one day she finds the disease ridden kale mian at her door. She dresses up once again as a bride- in his weak dying voice he whispers again-gori bi remove the veil,’ but as she raises both her hands to do just that Kale mian takes his last breath.
Gori Bi quietly removes her bridal wear and becomes a virgin widow.
Ratna Pathak brings the characters to life with a few sparse gestures, even fewer props evoking laughter and sighs from the audience.
There are many, along with me, who feel Naseeruddin Shah is in a league of his own as an actor, and it was quite evident when he came on stage to present the last story “Gharwali.” At the beginning of the presentation, Naseer mentioned that the cast will attempt to bring some characters to life through the presentation of the story and he was hopeful that other characters would simply manifest themselves in the imagination of the audience.
No one can really do it like Naseeruddin Shah does as he presented through his impeccable language, eye for detail, expressions and eyes that speak volumes, the story of one man’s struggle with his traditional and carnal instincts. The story evolves around a bachelor Mirza sahib, who has not seen or felt a woman’s presence in his life since his mother passed away. He lives his predictable life running a general provisions store and going to brothels-until the arrival of Lajo. Lajo is a young orphan who has survived by selling her body to men who have abused her. She is taken to Mirza’s house by a friend who says he should have a house maid. Lajo falls in love with the house, and the fact there is no other woman there, refuses to leave even as Mirza sahib is calculating the unnecessary expense, and struggling with the uncomfortable thought of having a woman in his house. Lajo prevails and transforms the house. Mirza first falls for her cooking and then for her charms. He stops going to brothels, and each day is now full of excitement and anticipation. Even sales increase at the store when Lajo walks in with his lunch box in her sexy lehnga(long skirt). Then possessiveness begins to rear its ugly head as Mirza starts getting jealous of all the male attention Lajo evokes and decides to marry her much against her protests. Lajo is true to Mirza and doesn’t think she needs to be married to be his.
Marriage predictably changes things. The sexy Lajo is now made to wear traditional clothes -the freedom that she so enjoys is curbed along with the attire. The traits that Mirza found sexy in her, are now considered obscene and to discover that brazen sensuality Mirza used to find at home he has now begun frequenting the brothels again.
Lajo finally loses her patience and looks elsewhere for love-in the arms of a young man who often pretended to fly kites over her courtyard just to ogle at her. The duo is caught red handed by Mirza who beats her up and then divorces her.. a few days later she walks back into the house as his maid and things go back to where they were before the ties of matrimony tore them asunder!
It is always a mesmerizing experience to see Naseer in any medium. He brings credibility to any character he plays. I was teasing him over dinner that only he could make a blonde caricature of a villain in a loser of a movie like Asambhav so adorable. He was perhaps even in that role, the saving grace of the flop film.
In depicting the story, like a chameleon, Naseer goes from being the stiff Mirza to the sex bomb Lajo in matter of seconds. The seduction, the frustration, the oomph, the staidness every thing is captured in its element by the master of all he enacts!
The audience was responding to every gesture with laughter, and sounds of “oohs” and “tsk tsk” reverberated again and again.
It was a standing ovation that welcomed the cast when the curtains finally came down. Kudos to Naseer and his family for keeping story telling and theater alive and kicking through his company Motley and kudos to people like Ajit Mehta who have the courage to showcase such stellar events even at their own expense because they love quality art.