When a female farmer works in the field under the hot sun
So that she can feed herself and her children in order to survive
In her hard work and every drop of sweat off her body
If an artist can't see beauty
Then that artist's perception of beauty is extremely limited.
These are the words of Munshi Premchand
Who was the founder of the Progressive Writer's Association.
This is the movement that worked in the Sub-continent against the British colonial rule
And played an important role in radically changing aesthetics in this part of the world.
Many leading intellectuals, poets, thinkers and writers were associated with this movement
For instance Faiz, Sajjad Zaheer, among many others.
Laal is one such movement that aims to take forward this very same tradition.
And wants to implement progressive social change in Pakistan by using culture.
Within Laal, we have Laal Theater, Laal Band, Laal Media Productions (who develop documentaries)
I'm associated with Laal Theater and today I'm going to talk about it.
About two years ago from now I was studying in college - I still go to a Business School
And there you work among the underprivileged community for three months after which there's a seminar
We used to call it a "3 month NGO"
What these students used to do was - they'd go work with these people for three months just for a grade
And once they got their grade, they wouldn't look back to ask whether those people were even alive.
I wanted to do something that was enduring
Something that would be meaningful. But I did not know as yet what it would be.
I'm also a political activist.
During the course of my grass root level activism
We go into worker's quarters
So that we can talk to them about their rights
Once, I was at a factory visiting these workers
Now there, once the shift ends everybody arrives there en masse and we talk to them.
I was waiting for the shift to end
when a worker came and sat there.
and since I had nothing to do I was looking at him.
And he started watching a movie
When he entered, he a very dull and lifeless expression on his face
I realized that what is happening to him at that moment,
that movie served as an escape from his reality, his material condition,
and he totally forgot about his life and he could
sort of you know escape for a little bit
and that's when it struck me and I wanted to do something
that relates to entertainment. But not just any kind of entertainment
especially not the sort that would serve as a means of escapism
I got three group members from the college
So we started, but it was a disaster
What used to happen was that we would go expecting one thing and what happened was its complete opposite
a lot of students would not even show up. Many we had to drag from their homes.
Many seemed to know only the kind of acting you would see in Sultan Rahi and Jagga Gujar types Punjabi movies
beyond that they had no concept of acting
and there were some who would bring their wives and children with them
which would create a lot of noise and it was like a circus more or less
For example, I had many students who would study during the day and work during the evening
they didnt have parents who could give their fees
and send them to school in cars
or send them to the theatres. At the same time
I had students who would live in places unlike DHA; unsafe places
they didnt know if they would find their wives and children safe if they left them at home.
and take everything with you. And this is where our real training begain
I learnt from them and so eventually our training ended
and we did out first performance and we got a lot of good reviews
from workers. we did (these performances) in industrial areas. and we kept on village to village
wherever we saw ? we did a performace
My course finished and I got my A grade
and my three college friends left and never looked back to ask how those people are
and I would like to add something interesting here:
the total project cost us Rs.8000 from which we used only 2 to 3 hundered on its props
all the rest was spent on the seminars and brochures
the team I was just speaking of is here with me today
and we would like to perform a street play for you all here
The play's name is "Machine" and it is written by Safdar Hashmi
Yes my friends, this a machine, a machine made of metal, a factory's machine.
This machine has one master(operator,owner) and many parts(cogs, components,) that is "workers".
It works all day and night to produce all kinds of commodities and comforts. .
It appears small and yet it acomplishes enormous feats
What did you say? who made it?
Well, you, them and even I did. That is to say, it was people just like us that made it.
This machine was created after centuries of effort and energy expended by these people.
(makes machine sounds)
Yes my friends, have you noticed how it moves to and fro, to and fro, fro and to?
notice carefuly.. If one component doesnt work, the second won't function
... if the second won't function, then the third will stop too i.e. they all function in unity.
Be it the landlord or peasant, the bourgeois or proletariat, oppressor or the oppressed, all live in unity.
Unity! Unity! what kind of unity is this? who lives in unity?
All i ever get is a beating. Whose beating??
the factory owner's beating, the landlord's beating , the milkman's beating, the policman's beating
.. I lost track of things during all these beatingts and I forgot to tell you who I am.
yes, I am a worker, this machine's appendage and something useful, and yet something usless.
I work for this machine and it's owner and nothing else besides this or at least nothing of importance for the owner.
Whenever I ask for my wages, there is a problem, and if I don't ask, there is yet another problem.
If I ask for a bonus, I get scolded and if I don't ask for it, I still get scolded.
So then, what kind of unity is this? unity! unity!!
Unity! Unity! Honestly speaking, unity is a source of life, unity is the path to prosperity.
this unity is a soruce of my sustainance i.e. the unity between the owner, machine and workers.
You still haven't figured it out, have you? If I havent introduced myself, then you could have just asked me.
All of you are consumers of my produce and I am the owner of this factory.
My life is perilous... I manipulate politicians, give lawyers a runaround,
make the police obey my every command and after all this hard work I finally get to enjoy my imported whiskey.
But all of you are dear to my heart and I'd sacrifice my life for you.
For you, I wil contrusct Madressahs (seminaries), 2 hospitals and 3 gravyards,
and If you want I'll even bury you in it..
All I ask for in return is the permission to raise prices, the permission to run for elections and then see what I can accomplish.
See how I can make a father forsake his son and a sister sell her brother.
This is what my life is about, earn as much as I possibly can. It is my duty to uphold this age old unity.
unity unity!
unite! unite! I cannot stand this word.
This ass mentioned unity once again, declared someone his best friend once again
which means I will have to thrash someone once again!
All that I can unite with is a stick, with a club, with a whip, with a gun and with a vamp.
Just give me a bottle of ale and some money and I won't remember whether I've executed a beast or a man.
my rugged look and my tough built is the source of my bread.
They call me the security officer, be wary of me.
A servant for the owner but for you I am God. I am a devil to those who strike.
Mercy doesn't exist in my profession.
Whether it's children or the elderly, it is my job to keep them all in check and whoever complains gets a thrashing.
Unity! Unity!
Yes my friends, this machine has been functional for more than 63 years.
It has made everything from a needle to a canon.
However, there is something worrysome... there are a handful of people that have reached the skies.
They possess all the wealth, riches and comforts of the world.
be it machine or a laborer, land or a peasant, nothing escapes their control.
And at the other end, there are billions of downtrodden people that are hungry and destitue.
If they ever rise to demand justice, they are put down by force.
their children die of starvation, disease and want and yet no one seems to care.
Oh well, lets not talk about these disturbing things..
Why has it stopped? what will now become of life?
The machine has stopped working, if the machine doesn't work, people will go crazy,
if it ceases to work, the entire civilization will be vanquished.
Who is responsible for this? have you stopped it? Or you? or was it you?
I am responsible for it. The machine won't work anymore.
It suffocates me. After all, I too am a human being.
they cant even make something as simple as a cycle stand.
we have to ride 5-10 ten miles to get here.
And that Rab Nawaz has to ride over 18 miles to get here.
That security officer so mercilessly tosses our cycles aside that they are smashed to pieces.
You cycle obssessed idiot
I'll smash your face in if you mention your cycle again.
This isn't your father's property. It belongs to the owner.
If I see your cycle parked here again tomorrow, I'll crush you like an insect.
Canteen! They want to convert our canteen into a parking lot for their truck.
They can't even give us a decent cafeteria.
The food that we bring from home turns cold by the lunch time
If only we could get a cup of tea with our food....
Tea! tea and bread, tea and bread, can't you people ever think of anything else.
At least listen to what we have to say.
NO!!
Did you see how on the one hand, the worker is hungry and miserable and on the other the owner doesnt even want to talk to him.
enough of this! the machine wont work any more, Strike.
Strike strike strike
Strike and after that...
Laathi(baton) charge
brutality, beatings and tear gas in broad daylight!
long live the revolution, long live the revolution
shoot these good for nothings..
You may keep shooting at us
but your bullets will pale before the waves of this revolution,
it will sweep everything away. no one can stop it
Long live the revolution.. long live the revolution....