Manto continues to be relevant: Playwright Neelam Mansingh

Saadat Hasan Manto

New Delhi: Iconic Urdu writer Sadat Hasan Manto once said, "It is possible that Saadat Hasan dies, but Manto remains alive."

The master storyteller was not far from the truth as his stories continue to find resonance with artists on both sides of the border.

Chandigarh-based playwright Neelam Mansingh, who has visited Manto's work in the past, once again turned to the author for her latest play "Naked Voices", which was staged at National School of Drama here.

The play, Mansingh, says highlights pressing issues like discrimination against women, migration and turmoil that it brings to families through the timelessness of the Urdu writer's prose.

According to the director, Manto's works which were penned more than half a century ago, continue to hold relevance even today.

"I believe Manto is not dated. There is a very timeless quality to his narrative. He was relevant to me then and is now. And, I believe posterity will be a witness to his relevance," she told PTI.

In her latest play, Mansingh has effortlessly weaved Manto's eloquence into a contemporary theme. "He is one of the greatest storytellers. His 'Tamasha'
about the horrors of Jallianwala Bagh seems equally relevant today. Also, it has a lot to do with migration, memory, loss, disruptions and how women become the ground on which politics is played.

"A play is a little glimpse into our lives. It gives a voice to the voiceless. What Manto went through for his writings is not a moral question to me. But, there are households where women are exploited and these are the kind of realities we are surrounded by," she says.

However, as a theatre professional she feels the field is a challenging one, largely because it is devoid of glamour and money.

"I think art is very difficult and it requires determination to continue staying on in a profession where there is no infrastructure, money or glamour," says the
Padmashri awardee.

Although, the artist is sceptical about the future of theatre in the country, she hopes that with more young talent coming in, it may flourish in the future.

"I have been in the profession for the last thirty years but I am still dealing with limited finances and poor infrastructure.

"When you choose a career in theatre you must know what the challenges are. I think spaces are opening up with more festivals happening," she says.