Jalna: “Love has no language; it feels, it understands, and it exists in many forms. Without tragedy, love is never complete,” said noted actor and television personality Shekhar Suman during his visit to Jalna on Saturday.
Suman was in the city to perform the acclaimed play Ek Mulaqat, a stage portrayal of the timeless love story between poet Sahir Ludhianvi and writer Amrita Pritam. The performance was organised by Kalash Bahuddeshiya Seva Bhavi Sanstha.
In an exclusive conversation, Suman reflected on the changing dynamics of human relationships in today’s materialistic world.
“Human relations today are devoid of love and understanding. People are increasingly consumed by greed, chasing money, physical desires, and material pleasures,” he remarked. “In the era of social media and the digital world, we are living in a virtual universe, one that seems far removed from true love and humanity.”
“I have been a fan of Sahir Ludhianvi since childhood. I love the Urdu language deeply and have read his poetry extensively. When I was offered the role of Sahir, I felt it was destined for me,” he shared.
“Earlier, Deepti Naval ji played Amrita’s role; she delivered her dialogues in Punjabi, while I recited mine in Urdu. Later, actress Geetika Tyagi played Amrita. The play received tremendous appreciation. We have now performed it over 100 times. Even those who did not understand Urdu were moved by its emotion. Urdu, after all, is the language of love.”
“Performing on stage is far more challenging than acting in movies. In films, you have the luxury of cuts and retakes. But on stage, it’s a do-or-die situation; you are face-to-face with the audience. Their reaction is immediate, and that’s what makes it thrilling,” he said.
The timeless, poetic love story of celebrated writer Amrita Pritam (1919–2005) and legendary film lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi (1921–1980) came alive on stage in Jalna through the acclaimed play Ek Mulaqat, written by Mumbai-based playwright Saif Hyder Hasan.
The play was staged at Aaaisaheb Lawns, Jalna, on Saturday. The event was organised by Anurag Kapur, who mentioned that the play was dedicated to cancer patients. Principal of JES College, Ganesh Agnihotri, along with Sanjay Deshmukh, Anil Chirodiya, Rana Thakur, Vinit Sahani, MLA Arjun Khotkar, and many others, was present on the occasion.
