Actor Jung makes an impact

NEW DELHI: It was a rare treat for theatre lovers in the capital on Sunday evening when the vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia took centre stage on the university campus - this time with a hidden facet of his. He played the role of Akbar in the play 'Anarkali-Akbar-Salim' enacted at the Ansari Auditorium. The play was jointly organized by Outreach Programme, Jamia and Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), Delhi.
While the other actors were from IPTA, Akbar was played by Najeeb Jung, and he drew the loudest applause for his acting skills."The play attempts to understand why and how Salim forgets his Anarkali to become first a lover, then a demanding husband and finally Akbar the patriarch,'' said Aziz Quraishi, IPTA secretary-general and director of the play.
The play, in a break from the usual story of Anarkali, focuses on the social issue of honour killing. In an extension of the traditional approach, the play, through additional scenes, depicts how Anarkali was killed not for the betterment of the people or to save the prestige of the nation, as Akbar claimed. It was more an honour killing to preserve the blue-blooded Mughal lineage, salvage Akbar's family honour and his ego. It is an interplay of potent emotions between Akbar and Jodhabai, Salim and Akbar, Jodhabai and Salim, Surraiya and Salim.
The second play, 'Be-Libaas', of the series will be staged on Monday at the same venue. It also carries a social message on exploitation of women.