Due to the weekend, the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) held two theatre plays, ‘Ikhtiyar’ and ‘Anarkali Se Aage’, under the Pakistan Theatre Festival 2023 on Saturday. Both the plays were serious. The first play, which dealt with the lifelong struggle of a man, was written by Meesam Naqvi and directed by Sheryl John. The actors included Owais Rehan, Alina, Husnain and Manal. According to the ACP, ‘Ikhtiyar’ unravelled the significance of resilience as its protagonist faces multiple societal and familial pressures, and his marriage has been strained after a miscarriage.