Daily Times

Sometimes it takes a glimpse of the past to remind us again of the things that are not just our history but an integral part of our journey. As the present rushes forward to meet the future head on, one such event took place at Lahore Grammar School (LGS), Paragon on March 3. Mughal-e-Azam, a combination of English and Urdu, directed by famous actress Shahnaz Sheikh, assisted by Asser Malik and Zairah Najib and it was performed by the students of the middle and senior school. It was nothing short of a breathtaking, exotic walk down the most glamorous time of the Mughal era.

The dazzling stage backdrop that oozed Mughal opulence and grandiosity, the elaborate and beautiful costumes that transported one instantly to a Mughal court, the beautiful Anarkali and the charismatic Saleem, the majestic Akbar and the stoic Man Singh. All the actors were perfect in their characters and were upholding their persona with great poise. Every single prop and actor was amazing to behold.

As the lights turn on, the opening scene for the introduction of Akbar, where the middle school gave a mesmerising dance performance and then one is immediately pulled into the rejoicing for Akbar’s heir. We yearn alongside the Maharani, Joda Bai for her beloved son’s return. Anarkali’s beauty screams for adulation and Saleem’s maddeningly love for her touches the hearts of all the romantics out there. The stunning performance made it all more endearing because of the enthusiasm of the young artists adorning the stage. With the dance performance, high spirited acted that showed young passion and the bedazzling costumes made it hard to blink and it constantly kept you on your toes, you kept yearning for more of this magnificent performance.

It was a magical evening, with the shimmering lehngas, the steel armors, the intrigues and politics of the royal courts. Akbar’s patronage of art and artists, all were threaded into the background of the evergreen love story of Anarkali and Saleem.

Published in Daily Times, March 11^th 2018.