There are two types of theatre goers in Pakistan: those who go for the sake of pure entertainment and those who look for substance beneath the flash. Siachen satisfies both.
There are two types of theatre goers in Pakistan: those who go for the sake of pure entertainment and those who look for substance beneath the flash. Siachen satisfies both.
Written by the peerless Anwar Maqsood and directed by 28-year-old director Dawar Mehmood, Siachen is a tragicomedy that succeeds not only as a socio-political commentary but also as a laugh fest. The set is simplistic and remains unmoved throughout the duration of Siachen, much like the great glacier on which it is based.
The script doesn’t lag. Political commentary involving subjects such as shahadat and the role of the Army as the mulk ka bara bhai are delivered casually while the soldiers play cricket or ludo. In fact, cricket is used intelligently throughout the play both for comedic purposes as well as to showcase its power as a uniting force between Pakistan and India, specifically during the ceasefire in place so that both sets of soldiers can listen to the match on their radios. The element of duality is present throughout the play, perhaps no more obvious than in the seamless transition between scenes of serious emotional intensity and the lighthearted banter that follows. Much like the soldiers on the highest battlefield on Earth, the audience, too, can sense the impalpable tension that exists when the spectre of death hovers over them, sinisterly mocking them even in their moments of joy.
Admirably, Siachen also manages to encapsulate the harsh living conditions and the life of soldiers such as the freezing temperatures, the fights over cigarettes as well as the depression and both home- and love-sickness. Patriotism and the spirit of the Pak jawaans are played up with dialogues such as, “Ya toh us post par jhanda laga kar rahoon ga, ya mujhey uss hee jhandey mai lapait kar bhejain gey.” However, they are simultaneously also displayed as human beings with natural feelings and flaws. The flashbacks – depicting them as shy lovers and mama’s boys – serve to give their characters depth as well as help in building an emotional connection with the audience. Further, the fact that the soldiers are not portrayed as perfect examples of morality or religiousity helps those in the crowd relate, for example, when a soldier lies and says he has already offered his prayers even though he hasn’t due to the difficulties associated with performing ablution in the freezing cold.
According to Maqsood, the cast of Siachen was sent to the actual glacier for 15 days to prepare for their roles. They also had to live without the use of technology and outside contact for a number of days so they could learn the meaning of tanhayi. The unconventional methods bore fruit, as the actors who had little to no professional experience before the play delivered a performance par excellence. Emotional scenes were delivered with real fervour and intensity while comic timing was brilliant in general. For instance, it was shocking to hear soldiers guffaw hard at a lame joke from the Major when it failed to register with the audience. However, everyone was in stitches when a soldier muttered under his breath, “Ye major na hotay toh hum bhi na hastey.”
Siachen continues to draw full houses in Lahore, having gone beyond the planned number of shows in Karachi, Islamabad and Multan previously. One ‘ardent fan’ asked Anwar Maqsood whether his play would feature any dance sequence and, if yes, how many. His reply “none” clearly shocked the poor fellow. Having excluded this typical element of theatre, Siachen being a huge success nevertheless is perhaps an ode to the genius of the script, direction and cast. They managed to pull off 23 shows instead of the scheduled five even in Multan. Here’s hoping this talented team continues to find more success in theatre and manages to outdo themselves in the future, a daunting task in itself since they’ve certainly set the bar very high.
