Umrao Directed By: Hidayat Sami

Umrao

Synopsis

The times of Umrao are turbulent, a mutiny is brewing the English are about to take over Oudh officially. The nation is awakening to the thought of being oppressed and subjugated. And what is Umrao doing at a time as such? She is losing the battle of love and learning how to channel the pain into poetry. She is the medium for mourning in muharram majlises as the official marsiya narrator and is yearning to go home.

She does not know how to yield a sword…she does not know how to wage a war yet she has a spirit that yearns to do something anything and so what does she do? She leaves the Kotha she lets go of the safety chains and steps out as an independent young  woman seeking her own destiny and individual identity hundred years ago. The play discards the image of mujras and ishquiya shayri more to Umrao than just her frivolity and her dramatic personal life.

About The Director

Hidayat Sami is a protégé of Pandit Satyadev Dubey. He has worked with many theatre groups of Mumbai as a light designer and actor. He also teams up regularly with Astad Deboo on his dance shows. Hidayat’s directorial ventures include All About Women, Peter Pan and Magic Pill. All About Women was nominated at META in several categories including best director and best play.