Lucknow: Theatrical joy returned to Lucknow with a bang as the seventh season of Repertwahr Weekends opened to a packed house on Saturday evening. A brainchild of the Repertwahr Foundation in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Cultural Department, the event is back with its signature promise — a delightful mix of stagecraft, storytelling, and spirited performances on every second weekend of the month.
The curtain rose at the Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj auditorium of the UP Sangeet Natak Akademi, where Imran Rasheed’s uproarious play Bade Miyan Deewane had the audience in splits from start to finish. With its quick-witted dialogues, eccentric characters, and perfectly timed comic chaos, the play set the tone for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
At the heart of Bade Miyan Deewane is Meer Sahab, a lovable and slightly loopy octogenarian who defies convention — and perhaps common sense — by falling head over heels in love with a much younger woman named Suraiya. The only problem? Suraiya is also the object of affection for his own son, Tabish. What ensues is a madcap comedy of errors, where misunderstandings mount, tempers flare, and laughter flows unchecked.
The cast — featuring Imran Rasheed himself alongside Yasir Khan, Manoj, Barkha Swaroop, Aalekh, Rukhsar, Jyoti Kapoor, Gaurav, Dakshita, Varun Kumar, and Nishchal — delivered a performance bursting with energy and charm. The chemistry between characters, especially the dynamic between father and son, proved to be the crowd favourite, drawing repeated rounds of applause and belly laughs.
But the weekend revelry doesn’t end there.
The stage is all set for Sunday’s offering — Phir Se Shaadi, a romantic comedy also directed by Rasheed, which promises yet another entertaining ride. If Bade Miyan Deewane is anything to go by, audiences are in for another memorable evening of love, laughter, and theatre done right.
Speaking about the initiative, Bhoopesh Rai, the visionary founder of Repertwahr Foundation, said, “Repertwahr Weekends is not just about putting up plays. It’s about celebrating theatre as an art form and making it accessible and enjoyable for everyone — from the seasoned theatre-goer to someone attending for the first time.”
And indeed, that is the magic of Repertwahr — its ability to bridge generations, tastes, and genres through the transformative power of live theatre. With fresh content lined up every second Saturday and Sunday of the month, this season looks to be a cultural calendar highlight for Lucknow’s art lovers.
As the applause still echoes through the auditorium halls, one thing is certain — the city’s theatre scene has come alive once more, and it’s ready to roll.
