Karachi
A galaxy of showbiz personalities, both past and present, and the glitterati among the literati showered nostalgic, glowing tributes on the late television playwright and actor, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, at the Karachi Arts Councilon Wednesday evening.
Rizvi died after a short illness on December 17, 2015.
The speakers had all been associated with him at some juncture and in some capacity or the other.
Dr Muhammad Raza Kazim pointed out the strong existential element in Rizvi’s plays, and said he was one of the very few who had a grasp over such a philosophical subject.
Among other qualities of the late playwright he mentioned was his keen philanthropic spirit, and said he was always there to help those in any kind of trouble.
Former PTV producer Bakhtiar Ahmed, recalling his 57 years’ association with the departed, said Rizvi was a highly genteel and disciplined person. “He was a troubled soul in search of succor,” he said.
Vakeel Farooqi, who was an assistant to Rizvi in 1971 and assisted him in the production of “Ek bivi ka sawal hai baba” at the Adamjee auditorium, said his departure from the scene had left a gaping vacuum in the world of theatre in Pakistan.
Begum Khursheed Kashmiri, widow of the late writer Hamid Kashmiri, said Rizvi always cast himself in a negative role in his plays but in real life he was just the opposite.
Noted playwright and TV celebrity of yesteryear Hasina Moeen, fondly recalling her association with Rizvi, said: “Kamal knew how to laugh and how to make others laugh.” Kamal, she said, understood the human psyche very deeply.
She said that even though she never worked with him officially, she really learnt so much from him about theatrics and about human nature.
Television star of yesteryear Munawwar Saeed, recalling his 57 years association with the departed, said, “I consider myself so lucky that I had the privilege of acting with a person so celebrated in the world of theatre and TV as Rizvi.”
Noted leftist leader of yesteryear Dr Aaliya Imam said, “We all were aware of his greatness and now, with his departure, we are really feeling the vacuum all the more.”
Naeem Tahir disagreed with Dr Huma Mir, and said that Rizvi was very much in our midst and would ever be. “He will always live in our hearts,” he said.
Tahir mentioned the feeling of eerie loneliness with the departure of personages like Rizvi, Dr Intizar Hussain who diedon Monday, and Justice Dr Javed Iqbal. He fondly recalled his first acquaintance with Rizvi when the latter came to Lahore in 1956 and 1957 and their being cast together in a Shakespearean English play, Julius Caesar, at Government College, with Tahir himself playing Brutus and Rizvi playing Casca.
Others who spoke most tenderly and nostalgically of their association with him were TV star Talat Hussain, Napa official Arshad Mehmood, TV producer Ali Rizvi, Iqbal Latif, TV star Nauman, M Zaheer Khan and Ishrat Rizvi, wife of the departed. Ishrat profusely thanked all the friends and well-wishers who had been such a prop to her in this her hour of bereavement.
Former Arts Council secretary Muhammad Ahmed Shah also spoke and lamented the departure of people as intellectual and talented as Rizvi from within our midst and the emergence of a new genre of people who just could not live up to the standards set by people like Rizvi. Huma Mir compered the proceedings and spoke in very tender terms of the departed.