Aimed at enriching the reading experiences of children in the UAE, Bazm-e Urdu (BEU) Dubai, in collaboration with the Sharjah Children Reading Festival (SCRF), delivered an enriching cultural experience with two captivating stage performances. The objective was to attract children towards this beautiful language as Bazm-e-Urdu believe that the youth are the future of this language and we can hook them up to it from an early age, this will go a long way in preserving the culture and language.
The first program titled “Hum Bhi Agar Bachchay Hotay,” was meticulously curated for young audiences. The second, “A Tribute to Moin Akhtar,” honored the legendary Pakistani artist known for his remarkable talent in acting, comedy, and hosting. Akhtar captivated audiences across generations and borders and left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry with his versatility and charisma.
The event commenced with “Hum Bhi Agar Bachchay Hotay,” a memorable performance for the young audiences. Divided into two segments, the first showcased a delightful ‘Mazahiyya Mushaira’ (Humorous Poetry session), by children, skillfully enacting as poets with a comic twist. Guiding the audience through this entertaining journey was the esteemed journalist and TV anchor, Waseem Badami, whose charismatic presence, and wit only added to this joyous affair. The script for this segment, crafted and directed by BEU member Syed Sarosh Asif, received high praise for its refreshing and entertaining approach. Syed Sarosh Asif is an established poet in UAE but this was his first foray into homour and it was a fantastic attempt.
Bilal Maqsood, a prominent figure in Pakistan’s music industry was the co-founder of band Strings in his earlier years. However, he was here with something new to be done – he took the stage for the subsequent segment of “Hum Bhi Agar Bachchay Hotay.” Demonstrating his expertise, Bilal delivered captivating Urdu content covering various educational topics through entertaining skits, songs, and interactive segments. Accompanied by his beloved puppet characters, Laal Baig and Tufail, Maqsood created a dynamic and engaging experience for the young audience. It was a delight for the children in the audience to be treated with such high quality engaging program especially curated for them.
Maqsood’s vision extended beyond entertainment; he aimed to promote the Urdu language, making it accessible and enjoyable for young learners. With a significant following on platforms like YouTube, Maqsood’s “Pakkay Dost” channel further cements his reputation as a provider of beautiful and educational Urdu content for children.
In the latter part of the evening Bazm-e-Urdu paid homage to late Moin Akhtar, a distinguished figure in Pakistan’s entertainment realm known for his exceptional skills in acting, comedy, and hosting. Anwar Maqsood, a revered figure in Pakistan’s entertainment industry known for his sharp wit and insightful commentary, embarked on a reflective journey he had had with Moin Akhtar, delving into their shared experiences. Together, they constituted one of the most legendary and loved duos in the Indian sub-continent’s television history and their fame spread all around the world among diaspora of the sub-continent, captivating audiences with their distinct amalgamation of humor, intellect, and societal observation. Yasir Hussain, a young talented actor hailing from Pakistan, revitalized Maqsood’s iconic sketches from “Loose Talk,” transporting viewers to a bygone era where the dynamic partnership of Anwar Maqsood and Moin Akhtar symbolized unparalleled success. They were able to bring back to life sketches from “Loose Talk”,
transporting audiences to an era when the unmatchable duo of Anwar Maqsood and Moin Akhtar were synonymous with success and laughter.
There was a short documentary prepared for Moin Akhtar and Hamza Lari did a fantastic job in bringing so many diverse elements of the life of Moin Akhtar together in this impressive documentary. This segment became all the more memorable due to the presence of Sharjeel Akhtar, son of the legendary Moin Akhtar in the audience. Bazm-e-Urdu expressed gratitude for his presence and invited him on stage at the culmination of this memorable and one of its kind program.
The evening wrapped up amidst enthusiastic applause and genuine appreciation by all present. Notable amongst them were Sanjeev Saraf, the esteemed founder of “Rekhta” (the global pioneer of Urdu website),.UAE’s very own and famous Tarannum Ahmed did a wonderful job hosting these events and bringing them seamlessly to the audience with her usual nice stage presence.
The evening culminated amidst enthusiastic applause and genuine appreciation from all attendees, with special recognition bestowed upon Rehan Khan, the esteemed founder of Bazm-e-Urdu, for his tireless efforts in promoting Urdu language and literature.
Furthermore, the efforts of Bazm-e Urdu team, especially Mr. Saleem, Ms Tarannum Ahmed, Syed Sarosh Asif, Ms Saima Naqvi, Ms Sarwat Zehra, Ms Zubaida Khanum, etc. were lauded, with acknowledgment extended to Syed Tabish Zaidi for his dedication to promoting the Urdu language within SCRF events. Bazm-e-Urdu, Dubai will keep on adding value to this beautiful language by their efforts and will keep on bringing together the lovers of Urdu on a single platform.
