A review on double feature Pakistani Drama & Comedy theatre plays ‘Exclusive’ as one, ‘Yahudi Ki Larki’ and ‘Sher Khan Ka Makan’ (2017).
+ Crew
- Directed by Khalid Ahmed
- Written by Agha Hashr Kashmiri
- Set Design by Jamil Afridi
- Costume Management by Syeda Maha Ali & Pervaiz Iqbal
- Makeup & Hair Styling by Majid Hussain
+ Music / Chorus Team
- Julien Qaiser played Harmonium
- Babar Ali played Tablaa
- Mahjabeen
- Hammad Khan
- Hani Taha
- Asiya Alam
- Faryal Noushad
- Raheel Ahmed
- Farhan Malik
- Kaif Ghaznavi
+ Note
Choreography by Mohsin Babar while the Assistant Directed by Fraz Chottani
+ Full Cast (Yahudi Ki Larki)
- Akbar Islam as Brutus
- Nazar-ul-Hassan as Azira Yahudi
- Marya Saad as Raheel
- Fawad Khan as Markas
- Kaif Ghaznavi as Desiya
- Aamir Naqvi as Badshah
- Samhan Ghazi as Sipahi #1
- Mazhar Suleman as Sipahi #2
- Ashfaq Ahmed as Darbari
- Faryal Noushad as Junaa
+ Plot
A Roman prince gets arrested because the girl he loves and involved with is a Jew. Due to the fact that his lover does not share the same religion likewise, this is why he is severely punished especially the Jew girl and her religious father on the orders of Brutus. But what Brutus does not know is that the Jew girl’s father, Azira Yahudi knows Brutus’s deep-down secret and the whereabouts of his long lost loved one.
+ High Points
i – Nazar-ul-Hassan as Azira Yahudi played the ‘Key Figure’ role as an old, religious father of Jew girl. He gave the best performance from the team.
ii – Fawad Khan as Markas played the main supporting role as the Roman Prince in disguise of a Jew. He performed as well as the script demanded him to be. Other Honorable Mentions: Marya Saad.
iii – The set design was profoundest.
iv – The musical chores helped in uplifting the play’s interest.
v – Decent job in costumes design / management.
vi – The play’s light humor in boosting the significance of the actors’ performance.
vii – Major recognition goes to director, when performances by almost everyone is well placed.
+ Low Points
i – Regardless of the play’s fame, Yahudi Ki Larki would be considered as one of the weak plays that respected Khalid Ahmed has ever directed.
ii – Most of the characters were halfheartedly written and are easily forgettable.
iii – The first half of the play is tiresome to watch.
iv – In present times, the classic story seems dull and obsolete. Perhaps, modernizing the story a bit may have sort out this problem.
v – It was very hard to keep a straight face and watch with interest. Most of the times, I kept nodding off on consistent rhyming dialogues.
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+ Full Cast (Sher Khan Ka Makan)
- Farhan Alam as Sher Khan
- Naz as Fitna
- Fraz Chottani as Ghafoor
- Usman Mazhar as Sheeda Khan
- Hani Taha as Sheeda Khan’s Wife
- Hammad Khan as Bakshoo
+ Plot
A highly irritated husband Sher Khan who claims to be honest, ‘Man of Honor’ who fears no one… except for his wife. You see his wife; Wali has a high and quick temper which she often releases on her husband Sher Khan but sweet to others. In the neighborhood where husbands are usually attracted to each other’s wife unknowingly to one another. But what Sher Khan does not know is that his wife is already flirting with at least two other men for selfish means.
+ High Points
i – Farhan Alam as Sher Khan performed his role as the most exciting comical character. In most cases, Farhan usually outdid the role that is given to him. The audience loved, cheered for him whenever he appeared or made satirical references.
ii – Naz as Fitna played role of Sher Khan’s nagging wife with first-rate quality. Her realistic performances always win the audience’s hearts. Other Honorable Mentions: Rest of the team.
iii – Praise worthy work by the entire cast members of Sher Khan Ka Makan in playing their roles up to the mark.
iv – The makeup & hair styling did an adequate work to make the cast members’ appearance genuine.
v – The musical chores and vocals helped in gaining the play’s interest.
+ Low Points
i – Stereo type jokes and their characters throughout the play only shows how weak the writer really is.
ii – Almost every character kept talking to themselves (in substitute of voice over) to let audience know what he / she is thinking of.
iii – The play was way too short to be entertained by it.
+ Overall
Despite the fact it is a double feature play, Yahudi Ki Larki is occasionally moving, and suitably ambitious, still it doesn’t live up to its classic source material as Sher Khan Ka Makan did with its childish, silly humor which doesn’t come at the cost of the play’s core.
Rate: 2.75 out of 5 stars
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