This book has selective 34 pieces of urdu humour and satire including essays, short story, articles, column and sketches, by the 34 different authors from Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to Muhammad Khalid Akhtar. We hope, urdu lovers will find this book very informative and productive. Followings essays / articles are included in this book.
Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj (Urdu: سیّد امتیاز علی تاؔج; Sayyid Imtiyāz ʿAlī Tāj 1900–1970) was a dramatist who wrote in the Urdu language. He is remembered above all for his 1922 play Anarkali, based on the life of Anarkali, that was staged hundreds of times and was adapted for feature films in India and Pakistan, including the Indian filmMughal-e-Azam (1960).[1][2][3]
Anarkali as illustrated on the title page of Imtiaz Ali Taj's book in 1922
Biography
Born Syed Imtiaz Ali in Lahore on 13 October 1900, he was the son of Moulvi Mumtaz Ali, who was also known as Shams-ul-Ulema (Sun of the Scholars), in recognition of his pioneering contribution to Urdu drama.[2] His forefathers had moved to Lahore following the 1857 revolt in Delhi.[4] When Imtiaz started writing, he adopted the name 'Taj'. During his student days, his literary skill came to the fore as he translated and directed many English plays, sometimes acting in female roles at a time when girls were not encouraged to act.[3] After studying in Lahore, he first worked in his father's publishing house, Dar-ul-Ishaat Punjab (meaning:'Punjab publishing house').[2]
He then went on to contribute to the children's journal Phool and the women's magazine Tahzeeb-e-Niswan; he wrote for Phool in association with Ghulam Abbas Ahmed and Ahmed Nadeem Oasm.[2][3] He was a co-founder (together with Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik) of the literary journal Kehkashan. In addition to his many translations of Shakespeare's plays into Urdu, including A Midsummer Night's Dream as Sawan Rain Ka Sapna.[3] He also wrote a number of plays himself, the most notable being Anarkali and Chacha Chakan, which continue to be performed today.[2]
Anarkali, (literal meaning:'Bud of Pomegranate'[5]) written in 1922, is a romantic play based on a quasi-mythical legend.[6] It tells the story of a beautiful slave girl named Anarkali (a courtesan) who falls in love with Prince Salim, but the romance ultimately leads to her tragic death.[7] The work is said to be 'a milestone in the annals of Urdu drama'.[8] He modified the play in 1930, with a reprint in 1931, in the popular 'modern prose genre' as a basis for several feature films from Indian and Pakistan.[6]
Taj provided a link between Agha Hashr, who was known as the 'Shakespeare of India', and contemporary Pakistani playwrights.[9] The theatre activities in Bombay and Calcutta had a strong influence from the Urdu heartland group and Taj was one of the pioneers of this group.[5] In the post Hashr days, Taj was considered the best playwright of the time.[10]
In the film titled Anarkali, produced in 1953 and based on Imtiaz's plot, the ending was tragic, similar to the ending in the drama. Later the play formed the basis for the highly successful Indian feature film Mughal-e-Azam, released in 1960. In this film produced by K. Asif, there was a twist to the story through a happy ending with Akbar finally being clement towards Anarkali. Though Imtiaz claimed that the film had no historical authenticity, he still gave snippets of historical evidence. In the preface to his book published in 1931 (designed to impress the middle class intelligentsia), he refers to Anarkali's existence during the historical period of Emperor Akbar (1556–1605) and his son Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir) as well as to the Persian couplet inscribed on the marble tomb in Agra dedicated to Anarkali by her lover Prince Salim. The couplet reads 'Ta Kiyamat shukr geom kardgate khwesh ra, Aah garman bez benaam roo-e yare khwesh ra', meaning: 'Ah! could I behold the face of my love once more, I would give thanks to my God until the day of resurrection.'[1] In writing the love story of Anarkali, a political allegory of the times, the author's intention, according to the critic Balwant Gargi, was 'to represent tyrannical forms of patriarchal authority through the relationship between Crown Prince Saleem and his father Akbar the Great, which Taj portrays as domineering, and a 'complex father-son relationship' marked by 'filial love interlaced with hate'.'[11][12]
Taj also published a magazine called the Kahkashan from the publishing firm of Daru Ishat which he owned. Another contemporary writer, Munshi Premchand, contributed stories to this magazine in Urdu. It so happened that an article which Premchand had submitted was on the same theme on which Taj was also writing a story. Then Taj decided to drop his article in favour of the one written by Premchand, who then expressed his regret but said that at least they both were on the same wavelength.[13]
Taj had also promoted the Lahore Arts School in association with many other stalwarts of the theatre scene in Lahore whose activities included promoting arts through a theatre and an art gallery.[14]
Chacha Chakan (1926) is a hilarious comedy of plays for children with themes of satire and humour. Chacha Chakan is considered the funniest character in Urdu drama.[15][16] Chakkan is said to be based on Jerome K. Jerome's character Uncle Podger.[3]
Imtiaz Ali Taj also wrote short stories, novels and screen plays.[2] From 1958, he was director of 'Majlis' a translation board established in 1950, in which he republished works of Urdu literature.[17] He was active in the theatre both as an actor and a director. After Pakistan gained independence in 1947, he hosted the daily feature Pakistan Hamara Hai (Pakistan is ours) on Radio Pakistan. It continued as one of the most popular radio programmes for several years.[2]Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj (سید امتیاز علی تاج) was born in 1900 in Lahore. He was a son of “Shamsul-Ulema” – Moulvi Mumtaz Ali from Deoband. He was one of the pioneers of Drama writing in Urdu language.
His most popular drama was “Anar Kali” which was written in 1922 and became a landmark in Urdu drama writing. This was later adapted into feature films in India and Pakistan. Its popularity raised the status of Imtiaz Ali Taj as a mature Urdu drama writer in literary circles.
Chacha ChakkanAnother drama which was liked by the audience was his funny creation “Chacha Chakan”.
Chacha Chakkan, who is similar the famous characters 'Uncle Podger' of the English dramatist Jerome, is a very funny character who thinks that he is very good in every job, but actually he, always, makes blunders and makes situations worse.
Chacha Chhakan remains until today the most humorous character in the Urdu literature
I.A. Taj Inro in UrduHe graduated from the government college Lahore. He presented on stage some English Dramas after translation into Urdu. 1918 he began the literary magazine called 'Kehkashan' in collaboration with his friend, Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik and run it for three year successfully.
He rendered his services for “Risala Tehzeeb-e-Niswan” and monthly phool. The magazine 'Tahzeeb-e-Niswan' was founded by his mother who was a well known literary personality of her time. In Phool he had the assistance of the famous short story writer Ghulam Abbas Ahmed as well as young Ahmed Nadeem Oasmi.He translated into Urdu Shakespeare's play 'A Mid Summer Nights Dream' and entitled it in 'Sawan Rain ka sapna'.
After the establishment of Pakistan, Syed lmtiaz Ali Taj conducted a daily feature 'Pakistan Hamara Hai' [Pakistan is our] for the Lahore station of the radio Pakistan. It was, no doubt, a popular programme. Apart from criticism on drama, he also wrote radio plays, novels, short stories and several film stories, some of them directed by him. As the Director of 'Majlis' he republished many critical works of Urdu literature.
On 19 April 1970 while he was asleep, he was shot dead by some unknown persons. His wife Hijab lmtiaz Ali was seriously wounded.[2]
Death
On 19 April 1970, Imtiaz Ali Taj was murdered while asleep in his bed by unknown assassins. His wife, Hijab Imitiaz Ali, was seriously wounded.[2]
Hijab Imtiaz Ali (1908–1999) was not only herself a well-known Urdu poet and writer, but also had the distinction to be the first woman pilot of India, in 1936.[18]
Publications
Of Taj's many works, estimated at 'more than 100 books',[19] the most important publications in the Urdu language are:[15]
- Anārkalī, about the love between Anārkalī, d. 1599, maid-servant, and Salīm, Mogul prince, later known as Jahangir, Emperor of Hindustan, 1569-1627
- Sayyid Imtiyāz ʻAlī Tāj ke yak bābī ḍrāme, plays based on social themes
- Urdū kā klāsīkī adab, anthology of classical Urdu plays, includes biographical sketches and critical appreciation of the playwrights
- Rail kahānīyān̲ : rail ke safar ke daurān pesh hone vāle intihāʼī pur isrār vāqiʻāt
- Chacha Chhakkan, Chacha Chakkan is a very funny & famous character of Urdu literature
- Gharelū āzmūdah nusk̲h̲on̲ kā insāʼiklopīḍiyā, original herbal medicines which can be prepared at home
- Majlis-i Taraqqī-yi Adab, report on the foundation, early years and publications of the institution
- Qurt̤ubah kā qāz̤ī aur dusre yakbābī khel, plays
- Lailā, yā, Muạ̄ṣira-i-G̲h̲arnātā, Urdu translation from the English of Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Leila; or, The Siege of Granada
The books written about Taj are:[15]
- Sayyid Imtiyāz ʻAlī Tāj : shak̲h̲ṣīyyat aur fann by Gauhar Naushāhī
- Sayyid Imtiyāz ʻAlī Tāj kī tams̲īl shināsī by Muḥammad Salīm Malik
- Imtiyāz : taḥqīq va tanqīd by Muḥammad Salīm Malik
- Tāj ke ḍarāme Anārkalī par ek naẓar by Rūh Afzā Raḥmān
Awards
- Pride of Performance Award in 1965 by the President of Pakistan
References
- ^ abPauwels 2007, pp. 127–128.
- ^ abcdefghiLegendary dramatist Imtiaz Ali Taj's death anniversary today, Samaa TV News website, Published 19 April 2011, Retrieved 18 April 2018
- ^ abcde'Legendary writer Imtiaz Ali Taj remembered in Baluchistan Times'. The Free Library. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^Sidhwa 2005, p. 287.
- ^ abKhan 2006, p. 318.
- ^ abDésoulières, Alain (2007). 'Historical Fiction and Style: The Case of Anarkali'(PDF). The Annual of Urdu Studies. 22: 67–98.
- ^'Legend: Anarkali: myth, mystery and history', Inpaper Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2018
- ^Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: devraj to jyoti. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 1117–. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
- ^'Imtiaz Ali Taj'. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^Datta 1988, p. 1117.
- ^Azzam 2007, p. 235.
- ^Gargi, Balwant (1962). Theatre in India. Theatre Arts Books. pp. 177–.
- ^Sigi 2006, p. 35.
- ^Malik 2006, p. 67.
- ^ abc'Tāj, Imtiyāz ʻAlī 1900–1970'. WorldCat Identities Organization. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^'Chacha Chhakkan'. WorldCat Identities Organization. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- ^'Imtiaz Ali, the Taj of Urdu drama'. Dawn (newspaper). 14 April 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^Hari Narain Verma, Amrit Verma, Indian Women Through the Ages, Great Indian Publishers (1976), p. 58
- ^The Pakistan Review, volume 19 (1971), p. 37
- Bibliography
- Azzam, Julie Hakim (2007). The Alien Within: Postcolonial Gothic and the Politics of Home. ProQuest. ISBN 978-0-549-45110-5.
- Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: devraj to jyoti. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
- Khan, Abdul Jamil (2006). Urdu/Hindi: An Artificial Divide : African Heritage, Mesopotamian Roots, Indian Culture & Britiah Colonialism. Algora Publishing. ISBN 978-0-87586-438-9.
- Malik, Iftikhar Haider (2006). Culture and Customs of Pakistan. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-33126-8.
- Pauwels, Heidi R.M. (2007). Indian Literature and Popular Cinema: Recasting Classics. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-0-203-93329-9.
- Sidhwa, Bapsi (2005). City of Sin and Splendour: Writings on Lahore. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-303166-6.
- Sigi, Rekha (2006). Munshi Prem Chand. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. ISBN 978-81-288-1214-9.
Amanullah Khan is a Pakistani stand up comedian and actor regarded as one of the best comedians in Pakistan. He has influenced many artists as well as people. Khan has a world record of 860-day night theater plays. According to famous Pakistani comedian Sohail Ahmed, Amanullah Khan is regarded as one of the top comedians in Pakistan. He currently appears in khabarzar on Aap News.
Faran Tahir
Faran Haroon Tahir (born February 16, 1964) is an American actor who appears in American television series and films, best known for his roles as Raza in Iron Man and Captain Robau in Star Trek.
Ferdausi Rahman
Ferdausi Rahman (née Begum; born 28 June 1941) also known as Ferdausi Begum is a Bangladeshi playback singer. She is the daughter of folk singer Abbas Uddin. She sang some popular film songs for Pakistani films also in the 1960s especially working with the music composer Robin Ghosh in film Chakori released in 1967. She was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1977 and Independence Day Award in 1995 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum
Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum (Urdu: غُلام مُصطفیٰ تبسّم ),
(4 August 1899 – 7 Feb 1978) was a 20th-century poet. His pen name was Tabassum (Urdu: تبسّم ).He is best known for his many poems written for children, as the creator of the Tot Batot character, and as the translator of many poetical works from mostly Persian into Punjabi and Urdu languages.
Hakim Ahmad Shuja
Khan Bahadur S. Hakim Ahmad Shuja (also sometimes written as 'Hakeem Ahmed Shujah' and 'Hakim Ahmad Shuja Pasha') (4 November 1893 – 4 January 1969), MBE, was a famous Urdu and Persian poet, playwright, writer, film writer and lyricist, scholar and mystic, from former British India, later Pakistan.
Imtiaz
Imtiaz or Imtiyaz (امتياز) is a given name of Arabic origin, which means 'distinct' or 'unique'. It may refer to:
Imtiaz Ahamed Nahid (born 1992 in chandpur ), Bangladesh
Imtiaz Abbasi (born 1968), Emirati cricketer
Imtiyaz Ahmed (born 1985), Indian cricketer
Imtiaz Alam Hanfi (1929–2015), Pakistani banker
Imtiaz Ali (cricketer) (born 1954), Trinidad cricketer
Imtiaz Ali (director) (born 1971), Indian film director
Imtiyaz Ali Khan (born 1926), Indian painter and art historian
Imtiaz Ali Taj (1900–1970), Pakistani writer
Imtiaz Bhatti (born 1933), Pakistani air commodore and diplomat
Imtiaz Dharker (born 1954), British poet and filmmaker
Imtiaz Gilani (born 1947), Pakistani civil engineer
Imtiaz Hossain (born 1985), Bangladeshi cricketer
Imtiaz Safdar Warraich (born 1952), Pakistani politician
Independent Theatre Pakistan
Independent Theatre Pakistan (often abbreviated to ITP) is a Pakistani theatre company and performing arts organization based in Lahore, Punjab, established in March 2012. The group is directed by founder, writer and director Azeem Hamid, who was soon joined with designer Danyaal Syed. It is the youngest theatre company in continuous production to have performed both internationally and domestically from Pakistan. Since their inception, the group has performed over twenty theatrical productions.
The group primarily performs in Urdu language but has also done theatrical productions in English and Punjabi languages. They have extensively focused on the revival of Urdu literature in Pakistan.Independent Theatre Pakistan have produced original theatrical productions such as Awaaz (literal translation: Voice), a psychological thriller play and the satirical short-play Kuttay (literal translation: Dogs). Also, they have adapted the works of progressive South Asian writers like Saadat Hassan Manto, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Krishan Chander, Imtiaz Ali Taj, Ashfaq Ahmed and Meerza Adeeb.
K. Asif
K. Asif, born Asif Karim (14 June 1922 – 9 March 1971), was an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who is famous for his work on the Hindi epic motion picture, Mughal-e-Azam (1960).
Khandan (1942 film)
Khandan (Hindi: ख़ानदान, family), also spelled as Khandaan, is a 1942 Urdu film directed by Shaukat Hussain Rizvi and produced by D.M. Pancholi, starring Pran, Noor Jehan, Ghulam Mohammed and M. Ajmal.It was written by author Imtiaz Ali Taj and made in Pancholi's Lahore studio. For the first time in British India, there was a lot of 'ahead of film release' publicity for this film. As a result, this became a much-awaited film for the Indian public and became a hit film when released.
List of Pakistani writers
This is a List of Pakistani writers, writers of fiction and nonfiction who are native to, or born in Pakistan, writing in any language.
Lutfullah Khan
Lutfullah Khan (Urdu لطف الله خان) (25 November 1916 – 3 March 2012) was an author, collector, archivist, and hobbyist from Pakistan. He was best known for his rare collection of voice recordings of renowned artists, poets, writers and other eminent individuals from Pakistan and South Asia.
Pervez Malik
Pervez Malik (1937 in Karachi – 18 November 2008) was a Pakistani film director. He directed more than 20 films, mostly in Urdu language, and received excellent reviews for many of his films from both film critics and the public.
Pride of Performance Awards (1960–1969)
Pride of Performance (Urdu: تمغۂ حسنِ کارکردگی) is a civil award given by the government of Pakistan to Pakistani citizens in recognition of distinguished merit in the fields of literature, arts, sports, medicine, or science for civilians
Qazi Wajid
Qazi Wajid (Urdu: قاضی واجد) (26 May 1930 – 11 February 2018) was a Pakistani actor. Some of his famous works include Tanhaiyaan, Dhoop Kinare, Mehndi, Khuda Ki Basti and Ankahi. He died in Karachi on 11 February 2018.After 25 years on radio, he resigned and performed as an actor, joining television in 1966, and for his contributions in the field, he was eventually awarded the Pride of Performance Award in 1988 by the Government of Pakistan.In a career spanning more than 50 years, he did 'more than 1,200 dramas as a staff artist for Radio Pakistan since 1977, and more than 500 dramas for TV.'
Shakeel
Shakeel Yousuf (born Yousuf Kamal; 29 May 1938), is a Pakistani actor best known for his roles in PTV drama serial Uncle Urfi (1972) and as 'Mehboob Ahmed' in PTV's Aangan Terha (1989). He has also acted in a number of local films as well as an English film, Jinnah (1998) and Traffic serial for BBC Channel-4. He is also known for his philanthropic activities.Also known as Shaquille O’Neal bhai among his close circles.
Shaukat Ali
Shaukat Ali, also known as Shaukat Ali Khan, is a folk singer from Pakistan.
Shaukat Hussain Rizvi
Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi (Urdu: شوکت حسین رضوی; 1914–1999) was a Pakistani actor, film producer and film director. He is widely considered as a pioneer of the Pakistani film industry.
Sohail Ahmed
Sohail Ahmed (Punjabi: سہیل احمد / ਸੋਹੇਲ ਅਹਮਦ) (born 1963), best known as Azizi (Urdu: عزیزی), is a Pakistani comedian and stage and TV actor. He is notable for comedy stage and TV dramas based in Lahore. He also appears in a popular tv show hasb-e-haal.
Waseem Abbas
Waseem Abbas (Urdu: وسیم عباس) is a Pakistani television, film actor and director.
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Avery entertaining book indeed, I find it at par with Patras's essays, if anybody wants to read how a good humor is written then this book should be among the list . My favorite from this collection are 'MUNSHI', 'SAWDESHI RAIL' and 'HUMZULF KA BAKRA' these are really outstanding pieces of Urdu humor and could be applied to our lives also; 'MUNSHI' could also be considered as a commentary on the current situation of Pakistani television industry while 'SAWDESHI RAIL' shows us the Pakistani socie...more
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Shaukat Thanvi was a Pakistani journalist, essayist, columnist, novelist, short story writer, broadcaster, playwright, humorist and a poet.
Shaukat Thanvi was born in Thana Bhaun, which has given him his last name: Thanvi. On the suggestion of Syed Imtiyaz Ali Taj, Shaukat Thanvi joined Lahore's Pancholi Art Pictures as a story and songwriter in 1943. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Pan...more
Shaukat Thanvi was born in Thana Bhaun, which has given him his last name: Thanvi. On the suggestion of Syed Imtiyaz Ali Taj, Shaukat Thanvi joined Lahore's Pancholi Art Pictures as a story and songwriter in 1943. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Pan...more