Lucknow: The harrowing emotional and social impact of the India-Pakistan partition of 1947 was powerfully brought to life on stage through the play Masiha, written by renowned playwright and screenwriter Sagar Sarhadi. The production was staged at the auditorium of Awadh Academy Inter College, New Gulistan Colony, Lucknow, under the skilled direction of Shailee Srivastava.
Organized by Shraddha Manav Seva Kalyan Samiti, a well-known social and cultural organization of the city, in collaboration with Bisaria Shiksha Evam Seva Samiti, the performance was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi. The play began at 12 noon after an inaugural lamp-lighting ceremony led by the Chief Guest, Arvind Kumar Yadav, Manager of Awadh Academy Inter College, who extended his blessings to the performers. Principal Ruchi Yadav also graced the occasion and conveyed her heartfelt appreciation to the cast.
Masiha paints a poignant picture of a refugee camp on the Indian side of the border in the aftermath of Partition. Refugees, torn from their homes, anxiously await their loved ones. Among them is Master Sant Ram, a teacher from Pakistan, waiting each day for his missing sister Ladli—abducted by the very students he once taught values of patriotism and respect for women.
The tragedy unfolds with the arrival of Ladli, brought back by Captain—another of Master Sant Ram’s former students. Ladli, now mentally and physically broken from the trauma she endured, is unable to face her brother. As she tries to flee in distress, Master Sant Ram runs after her. In a tragic twist, both are gunned down by border guards from either side—soldiers who were once childhood friends before Partition tore their village, and their lives, apart.
The character “Gumnaam” (The Nameless), a grief-stricken and intoxicated refugee, becomes the voice of anguish, crying out that the real messiahs (Masiha) are not the politicians who drew borders, but the refugees who paid with the lives of their loved ones so others could live on.
The cast delivered emotionally charged performances:
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Ashwani “Makkhan” as Master Sant Ram
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Pranay Tripathi as Captain
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Sumit Srivastava and Pranav Srivastava as Pakistani and Indian soldiers respectively
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Anupam Bisaria as Gumnaam
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Anita Verma as Ladli
Each performer left the audience deeply moved, their raw expressions and intensity making the scenes unforgettable. Director Shailee Srivastava’s powerful vision ensured Masiha left an indelible mark on the audience’s hearts—reminding all of a painful chapter in history that still echoes in the lives of many.
