Gender at play in ‘Sahiban Mirza’

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, March 25

The North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi & Impact Arts, in collaboration with Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi staged a play, Sahiban Mirza, as part of the two-day theatre festival, Asharfiyan-3 (2K19).

Written and directed by Balwinder Bullet, Sahiban Mirza was a rendition of the highly celebrated folk tale of Mirza and Sahiba written by Pilu. In the traditional folk tale, Sahiba is portrayed as a traitorous woman, who eventually becomes the reason for her beloved Mirza’s death after she breaks his arrows. Unable to fight back, Sahiba’s brothers killed him. Pilu’s story was then propagated through folk songs.

However, in the play, Bullet questions the gender narrative depicted in the folk tale. He challenges the male chauvinism of society that was shown by Pilu and gives a new colour to the tale. Love is not a territory, which is to be conquered, but the freedom to be celebrated.