With Ramlila roles, Muslim youth breaks barriers

For 26-year-old theatre artiste Haider Khan, a resident of Sector 45, the love for performing arts found an unlikely outlet. By taking on varied roles in the ongoing Ramlila at Sector 28, he not only found a way of self-expression but also to break religious barriers.

Khan, who works with a private firm, said he was the lone Muslim in Chandigarh to perform in Ramlila.

He first joined the annual festivities in 2023 when the event was organised near his house. “I drew inspiration from film actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who once essayed the role of Krishna in Ramlila,” he recalled.

Since then, the youth has taken on multiple roles, including that of Ravan’s cousin Dushan, Mama Maarich and other mythological characters. “I consider myself an artist first; religion doesn’t matter when it comes to performing. I enjoy playing these characters and have learnt a lot about mythology only after enacting them on stage,” Khan said.

Balancing his job with rehearsals, Khan revealed that he had been practising every evening for nearly six weeks to prepare for his parts. On Friday, he was slated to perform two different roles, including that of a “rishi”.

Asked about the community and family reaction to his participation in the Hindu festivities, Khan said he had received nothing but encouragement. “So far, no one has discouraged me. My family, including my father, a government servant, and other members of our joint family are eager to see me on stage,” he shared. Mukesh Sharma, organiser of the Ramlila, was all praise for Khan’s dedication, saying, “Haider is associated with a theatre group, and he puts in tremendous effort to bring his characters alive on stage.”