Gauhar’s city connection recalled

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 26

“In 2005, when I went to Pakistan for a theatre festival for the first time, I saw Madeeha and instantly felt a connection with her. Bahut apni ji laggi (she appeared like a dear one),” shared a teary eyed Jatinder Kaur, veteran actor and a close acquaintance of late Pakistani theatre thespian Madeeha Gauhar.

Kaur, like many artistes from the city, had worked closely in collaboration with Gauhar’s Ajoka Theatre and had played the protagonist in one of their acclaimed plays Dukh Dariya.

While she describes Gauhar’s demise as an emotional personal setback, Kaur says that Madeeha Gauhar commanded respect and love from artistes from both sides of the border. “She was bold and very strong in whatever she did. She had a knack for getting things done her way, and mostly nobody mind.”

Calling her constant efforts to bridge the strained relations between the two countries through creative channels, Kewal Dhaliwal, who had directed two productions in collaboration with Gauhar, said her powerful personality and positive energy usually rubbed over to anyone, who worked with her.

“She  was  brave and had always  maintained that artistes are the only brand ambassadors we need for peace between India and Pakistan.” Gauhar‘s last visit to Amritsar was for Humsaya peace festival in 2015.

Her first collaboration with Manch Rangmanch, a theatre group from the city was in the play Teero Preman, staged in 1995, based on the first woman poetess in Punjabi. Directed by Dhaliwal, the play was considered a breakthrough since it dealt with a strong women centric issue. Gauhar also staged a play — Yatra 1947 — in 2008, in collaboration with Dhaliwal at Wagah border. “She shared an intimate connection with Amritsar,” says Dhaliwal. 

Deep Mandeep, another theatre actor-director from the city, shared Gauhar’s liking for Punjab and its cultural legacy.