The star-studded Pakistan Theatre Festival kicked off here in Karachi with a bang.
As many as 27 national and seven international groups will offer 45 dramas, workshops and talks throughout the month.
The inaugural ceremony held at the Arts Council was graced by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman.
The event was attended by the legends including Anwar Maqsood, Javed Sheikh, Sajid Hassan, Nabeel Zafar, Usman Peerzada, Nabeel Qureshi and many other artists.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Punjab Baligh-ur-Rehman said that art unites people and provides them a chance to express themselves.
I am really pleased to see plays in so many regional and international languages which would help the people of Pakistan to understand each other,” Governor Punjab said.
The plays would be performed in Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, English, Persian and Turkish languages.
On the inaugural day, iconic figure Anwar Maqsood was honoured with a shield by Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah in recognition of his contributions to Pakistani culture and theatre.
Governor Sindh lauded the services of Ahmed Shah for promoting the art and culture both in Pakistan and abroad.
The festival was officially started with Director/Actor Salman Shahid’s comedy-drama Patriot & Abdullah, which enthralled the audience.
Actor Paris Masroo said that their finances are managed via TV dramas, but they do theatre out of sheer interest. “A true actor is one who always loves to perform in theatre,” he added.
The international groups have also started reaching Karachi to participate in the festival.
The Pakistan Theatre Festival will remain continue for a month in which different plays will be presented on a daily basis while two plays will be presented on weekends.
The festival would help to revive the dying theatre industry of the country.
