‘Faiz and Kaifi’ interactive session attracts top personalities

LAHORE: Faiz and Kaifi Azmi shared the same ideology, an ideology of love for humanity, of equality for all, and that was their world view and the common grounds for their friendship.

This was the crux of the highly enlightening, as well as thought-provoking first and the most memorable special interactive session titled “Faiz & Kaifi” at Alhamhra Arts Council, The Mall’s jam packed Hall No 1 on Friday afternoon.

The inaugural day of the four days long 4th International Faiz Festival started with a great fanfare along with a glittering galaxy of super stars of the literary, art and performing arts world, from all corners of Pakistan and many other countries of the world, including India. The interactive session which was conducted by Mira Hashmi and Adeel Hashmi and comprised of Shabana Azmi & Salima Hashmi, two renowned and illustrious daughters of larger than life figures i.e. Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Kaifi Azmi, attracted the top personalities from every walk of life to the venue.

Shabana Azmi, while responding to a question by Adeel Hashmi regarding the meaning of “Ideology” and the basis of friendship between Faiz and Kaifi Azmi, replied that both had a special love for humanity. All their lives they lived and worked for the downtrodden. Both of these giants of our times, had the common element of their love for humanity and elimination of discrimination, injustice and inequality, and that was exactly the biggest bond, the real basis of their friendship.

She told that the first colour she saw when she opened her eyes in this world was “Red” because her father was in the Communist Party and they were living in the flats which were the hub of the Communist Party of India’s activities. Recalling her days with her father and during a trip down the memory lane, Shabana Azmi shared that a lot of renowned personalities used to come to their home and despite their’s being a humble dwelling, many of the big wigs and renowned figures would prefer to stay at their home due to the warmth and hospitality they would receive at Kaifi Azmi’s home. Speaking about her father, she told that her father was a very brave but very simple man. He was very active near the end of his life. He visited his village after 40 years and started to work there to change the lives of the people.

Regarding change, Shabana recalled her father’s advise to her, which she never forgot, about change, Kaifi Azmi told her that change never comes on a pace we desire, it takes its own time and when we work for change, we must remember that if we work with honesty and commitment then change is inevitable but not necessarily in our own life time.

Shabana Azmi told that she first met Faiz in Moscow, he had a very charming, yet very impressive personality and she got confused at the first meeting because she could not recall a single verse of Faiz when Faiz asked her to. On Javed Akhtar, Shabana said that Javed Akhtar had a great similarity with her father, he has many qualities of my father and that is one of the main reasons for choosing him as my husband. She added that “he is a tough act to follow, but the biggest feminist I know”.

Salima Hashmi narrated very interesting incidents and sweet memories about her father Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Her father was a very loving human being and once, when asked about the reason for his habit of loving everyone, he replied that the women of his house had spoiled him with their love and pampering and he is just trying to return that love.

She told that Faiz’s ideology was of love and friendship, love for humanity was his basic principal, philosophy and ideology. She revealed that the two greatest passions of Faiz’s life were to become a first class cricketer and make a movie, and movie he did make ‘Jago Hoa Sawera”, but, unfortunately, he could never become a cricketer.

Javed Akhtar, who was also present in the hall and was sitting among the spectators, was later invited by Adeel Hashmi on the stage, presented some of his famous poems and charged the entire gathering. Javed Akhtar was very happy to be in Pakistan and replying to a question by Adeel about his next visit to Pakistan, said “For the warmth and love which we have got here, who wouldn’t want to come to Pakistan again and again”. The second most exciting event of the inaugural day was the musical show of Tahira Syed. This mega event, which is perhaps, the biggest congregation of the renowned writers, intellectuals, artists, peace & human rights activists, not only from Pakistan but from many other countries of the world, predominantly from India. This year’s Faiz Festival will be having more than 40 sessions in all, renowned literary personalities, artistes and intellectuals will be participating in these highly enlightening sessions and express their views.