Date:13/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/13/stories/2008041360760300.htm

New Delhi

Reliving the spirit of Safdar Hashmi

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: A series of events, including an exhibition, a procession, plays, release of two works, rendition of soul-stirring songs and a film show were conducted here in the Capital on Saturday to commemorate the birth anniversary of activist-theatre personality Safdar Hashmi.

The programme was organised under the aegis of Jana Natya Manch and the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust to commemorate National Street Theatre Day.

Safdar Hashmi, who was born on April 12 in 1954, was a Communist playwright, actor, director, lyricist and theorist, associated mainly with street theatre. After he was brutally killed while performing a street play, Halla Bol, on a New Year’s Day, different street theatre groups across India decided to observe his birthday as National Street Theatre Day.

On Saturday, plays were staged at Mandi House by Jana Natya Manch, of which Hashmi was a founding member.

Various artists and photographers presented a photograph each related to any of the themes that Hashmi highlighted through his plays, like the workers’ conditions and communalism. “These artists then carried out a march from Mandi House to Vithalbhai Patel House. Their works have been put on display at the SAHMAT office,” said Sohail Hashmi, Safdar Hashmi’s elder brother.

Excerpts from two plays, Halla Bol and M oteram ka Satyagraha, were read out on the lawns of VP House in the evening. Safdar Hashmi had co-authored the script of the latter with Habib Tanvir. The duo had even acted in the play. A re-print of the script of Moteram ka Satyagraha was released on Saturday.

A collection of anti-communal poems by Dr. Brajesh and Dr. Bali Singh was also released on the occasion.

A film, Safdar, made by Shashi Kumar, who in 1989 headed PTI TV, was also screened. The film has real footage of the situation after the attack on Mr. Hashmi and captures the moments when a couple of days after his death the troupe of Jana Natya Manch went back to the same spot and performed the play.