Irfan Khoosat set to read Munshi Premchand's iconic tale 'Shatranj Ki Baazi’ on Zee Theatre

In 1924, Munshi Premchand wrote a riveting tale in Urdu and Hindi about two inveterate chess players. In 1977, legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray made Shatranj Ke Khiladi, and now director and actor Sarmad Khoosat is presenting Shatranj Ki Baazi, a dramatised reading of the same classic story. The reading is part of Zee Theatre’s presentation, Yaar Julahay, featuring stories from the subcontinent. Set in Lucknow during the last days of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the story is about Mirza Sajjad Ali and Mir Roshan Ali, and their obsession with chess in the face of the rapidly deteriorating political, social, and cultural conditions of Awadh.

Irfan Khoosat says, “I have been associated largely with funny characters, but this was a serious part. I am also very happy that the new generation is rediscovering classic stories from the subcontinent via a format similar to Dastangoi.”