Karachi: A festival celebrating the theatre and performing arts, ZABTHEATRE 2023 came to an end after powerful performances from IBA, Karachi University, FAST University, and SZABIST. The two-day event had excitement, colours of joy, and pure entertainment from talented young performers.
A Look at Day 2 of ZABTHEATRE 2023
The final day began with a well-attempted play by the IBA Drama Society led by Malik Uzair. Sejal Ahuja, Fatima Tanveer, Fahad Khan, Fahad Rehman, Haroon Alvi, and Sanober Shahzad played pivotal roles. The play Alif Iqbal had a good concept and could have done better with more powerful execution.
Karachi University Theatre & Drama Society then took over the stage and presented their beautiful themed play, The Fallen Angel. Written & Directed by Ibrahim Malik, the cast included Zehra Ghalib (Jannat), Muhammad Areeb (Mikaal), Huzaifa Azhar (Deemo) and Ibrahim Malik himself (Azazeel).
The concept and production design of the play blew away the audience, and the team gathered praise from both judges & viewers. Zainab Khanani (who also handled wardrobes) & Ramsha Hussain Khan acted as Assistant Directors and Production Managers. Ibrahim Malik said that he conceived the play over a year ago, and it took him a lot of hard work to put it together. It’s safe to say that their hard work and dedication were evident on the stage.
The Dramatics Club of Karachi University did not stop there and went on to mesmerize everyone with Silver Lady. The play was the brainchild of Sawera Dedar, while Saim Zahid translated it. Syeda Mehdia Ali and Duaa Azim led as Assistant Directors along with Production Head, Bushra. The management team included Hoor Ul Ain Khatri and Hassan Bhatti. The talented cast had Rida Siddique (The Silver Lady), Nawaz Khan (Taaha), Seyada Mehdia Ali (Hoor), Khadija (housekeeper) and Mohammad Hamza (exhibitionist). The judges praised the lead cast, especially Nawaz Khan, for convincing performances.
The day went ahead with powerful music and dance performances from the SZABIST Performing Arts Society. The PAS also displayed a musical drama: Out of the Ashes, directed by Rehma Tariq. SZABIST also participated in the event with their drama Rang, by Ali Tirmizi and Hooria Rizwan. The main cast, Arisha Anwer and Ali Tirmizi, impressed everyone with heart-touching performances.
FAST University continued its streak of comic dramas and made the audience laugh with hilarious performances. Shahab Ghouri, Amna Shahid, Muzammil Qaseem, and Mubashir Hayat once again led the Drama club of FAST.
Karachi University Dramatics Club uplifted the ending hours of the event with a bone-chilling theatre play 17-Nov-1998. Amna Naved Khan and Abeeha Ali Directed & Choreographed the act. Syed Fahad Ullah was the Assistant Director. Other team members included Waqar Hussain (Head of Movements), Alina Khan and Ambreen Qizilbash (Production Head, Management, Makeup and Lights), Syed M. Salman (Lights), Saim Shaheen Khan and Jibran Rashdi (Videographer).
The star cast included Syed Fahad Ullah (Zaviyaar), Abeeha Ali (Kubra), Shaikh Atfan Rasheed (Ayan), Amna Naved Khan (Dadi) and Umme Laila (Hajra). The athletic chorus was comprised of Waqar Hussain, Umme Aiman, Anoosha Rawasia, Emaan Arsalan Khan, Jibran Taimuri, Rushna Salahuddin, Atika Farhat, Izma Hassan, Asad Arbab, Syed Muneeb Ali, Omar Farooq, and Misbah Kanwal.
The horror-thriller proved to be a visual treat and gave a proper cinematic feel which is hard to achieve at any level.
SZABIST drama club closed the day with a well-directed play, NU-NOT-CLEAR. Written & Directed by Saifullah Mansoor and Co-Directed by Faraz Hashmi, it had a different concept and kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
Winners of ZABTHEATRE’23: Karachi University roars in Arts Council by winning 09 awards
Best Actor Supporting (Female): Abeeha Ali Sheikh (17 November 1998)
Best Actor Supporting (Male): Fahad (17 November 1998)
Best Concept: Fallen Angel (Written and Directed by Ibrahim malik)
Best Script: Fallen Angel
Best Costumes: Silver Lady
Best Play (Comedy): Jinnah Ka Darbar (Written & Directed by Razi Wani, Co-Directed by Hadiqua Sheikh)
Best Play (Drama): RANG
Best Direction: 17 November 1998 ( Written and Directed by Abeeha Ali & Amna)
Best Play: 17 November 1998
Best Actor: Ali Tirmizi (RANG)
Best Actress: Amna Naveed(17 November 1998)
Best In-House Actor: Saifulla Mansoor
Best In-House Actress: Aqsa Akbar
Abeeha Ali, President Of Karachi University Theatre and Drama Society, and the theatre team said that all plays are a result of immense hard work. Abeeha added that emerging victorious in the ZABTHEATRE 2023 feels like a dream come true.