This year, the Sindhi community will witness a new Social Comedy at the recently inaugurated Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC) in the famed Mall of the Emirates. Directed by the veteran theatre maestro S.P. Menghani, the comedy will be staged on 16th and 17th November 2006 in DUCTAC’s ‘Centrepoint Theatre’ which has a seating capacity of 543 persons.
Lori Dorman, General Manager, DUCTAC said, “We feel happy and proud both personally and on behalf of the Sindhi Community in Dubai that the first community show in this wonderful auditorium will be performed by Sindhi Kala Mandir and is being organized by Asha Chand."
Said Asha Chand, the well-known Sindhi events organizer and MC, “We are very grateful to the management of DUCTAC for giving us the opportunity to stage our community event at the Centrepoint Theatre. Sindhi Kala Mandir, the well known Mumbai based theatre group founded by veteran theatre director Mr. S.P. Menghani, produces new Sindhi dramas as part of its mission to promote the Sindhi language across the globe. We are certain that the new play will provide loads of entertainment to Dubai’s Sindhi community, which yearns for Sindhi dramas of high calibre.”
Stated Menghani, “The new play ‘Tuun ain Maan’ which means “You and Me” is a full length original play based on an oeuvre written by Vashdev Nirmal. What is exciting for Sindhi Kala Mandir is that the new play’s premier show is being staged in Dubai and for the first time a community event is being staged in MOE’s prestigious DUCTAC. The other exciting fact is that several Sindhi dramas directed by me in the past were based on translated plays written in other languages while the new play is originally written in Sindhi.”
S.P. Menghani, the pioneer of Sindhi drama has directed several plays in both Sindhi and Hindi which have been well received across the globe. The decades of dedication to the world of theatre has earned him several awards and accolades. Menghani also pioneered the Sindhi Drama Festival in India which has enjoyed 45 years of celebration to date.
Explained Asha Chand, ‘Tuun ain Maan’ delves into the strained relations caused by the clichéd generation gap. The sensitive relationship between a well-traveled, educated son and his conservative father is demonstrated with emotive clarity. The play also explores the impact of a changing society on social values. With its cathartic effect on the audience, the play evokes strong emotions and empathy. The end is obviously a happy reunion following a comic twist providing moments of touching gratification to the charged audience.”
The Sindhi community is well aware of Asha Chand’s relentless contribution to the cause of the Sindhi language. She has produced several CDs to promote the rich language amongst the younger generation and revive its cultural traditions. Her landmark CD ‘Let’s Learn Sindhi’ – has reached over 4,000 Sindhis across the globe. Her latest production includes a well-received Sindhi movie ‘Vilayti Ghot Ji Gola’ and a CD comprising remix versions of age-old swinging numbers to suit the tastes of the contemporary youth. .
“The Sindhi language has a rich literature and is the product of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, ‘The Indus Valley Civilisation’. To lose this rich culture and heritage due to the overwhelming tide of globalization will be a loss to the entire humanity,” stated Asha.
The main corporate sponsor is Jacky’s while the others include Air India, Arkays, Asnani Steel, Dayal Steel Suppliers, Embee Readymade Garments Trading L.L.C, Jacky's Electronics, Joyrs Restaurant L.L.C, Sunico, Voltas / IEMS JV and the Yogi Group.
