A theatrical take of Manto’s Sadak Ke Kinare on stage

As part of ‘Jashn-e-Darpan’ — a two-day Urdu theatre festival held at

Ravindra Bharathi

, theatre buffs from the city were treated to a captivating play based on

Saadat Hasan Manto

’s short story,

Sadak Ke Kinare

on Friday.
The play staged by a city-based theatre group, opened with a monologue where

Captain Ahmed

as Manto broods on different perspectives of today’s society. “Zamane ke jis daur se is waqt se hum guzar rahe hai, agar ap usse nawakat hai to mere afsaane padiye. Agar aap in afsaano ko bardash nhi kar sakte to iska matlab hai ki zamana na kabile bardash hai,” he says.
The scene then shifts to the play which narrated the story of an unmarried woman whose partner left her when she was pregnant. Heartbroken, she initially wants to abandon her newborn by the roadside — in the face of trials, troubles, and afflictions inflicted on her by the society. But she eventually falls in love with the child and is ready to fight the world for it.
Realistic performances by the actors earned them a thumping applause from the audience.