Our much adored icon, Bushra Ansari is starring in her own special stand up ‘Malika-E-Tabassum’ showing at Arts Council, Karachi. Does it do justice to the legend’s journey? Find out more!
An endearing presence, experience beyond our years, exemplary dedication and love for the Arts! She is a living legend and time and again, Bushra Ansari has left her audiences wishing for more of her fine comedy, legendary tales, witty comebacks and her incredible versatility in talent.
KopyKats and ActiveMedia have had the honour of presenting Malika-E-Tabassum, an exclusive one-man comedy show as per the press release. In this long awaited, grand solo performance, the hit “Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat ” star “Saima Chaudhry” presents a ride full of entertainment, witty commentary on her quirky life, her journey while poking fun at societal norms with lots of laughter.
Directed by the mastermind behind KopyKats Productions, Dawar Mehmood, and produced by the CEO of Active Media, Saad Khan, the comedy fest features veteran Bushra Ansari taking the stage at the esteemed Arts Council in Karachi from July 1st to the 15th, promising an unforgettable night of joy and sheer brilliance.
A Passion Project
Director Dawar Mehmood shared how directing plays has been his passion project. He has produced many of Anwar Maqsood’s stage plays as a passion project and it was his age old dream for many years to direct the comedy queen, Bushra Ansari in a live stand up. It took years of convincing her, incessantly ringing her doorbell and calling her persistently to persuade her for the venture.
He shares his unique journey while setting out to sell the show and quipped how initially, buyers weren’t ready to buy the show – a revelation as we wonder who wouldn’t be willing to bet on the icon herself?
Giving Us A Peak At Her Iconic Life
So lets begin with how our night went without our phones, yes you read that right. There were no cell phones allowed and it was a rather nice evening without the digital monster (sometimes) in disguise. In her first ever live show in her 40+ years of career, the theatre was packed, the lights flashing and something from above the ceiling began descending, wondering what it was? You will have to watch it to find out! The crowd erupted in applause when they set their sights at Malika e Tabassum herself. She began sharing her life’s journey with an ode to her family. She shared personal anecdotes from her life, career and adventures. How she would end up at a questionable show in Lahore with her mother and sisters and eventually had her mother hurling abuses at her. How she used to imitate her late sister Sumbal’s voice in mischievous ways. You would even be gifted with her live melodious voice singing classics, just another (100th) example of her talents. Does this lady carry an endless range of talents?
She shared her love for Noor Jehan, her views on Aurat March which were conveyed with such grace and beauty, dynamics of married life, how men in her life impacted her, a comical viewpoint on current young relationships and café culture. Though as she says, her stand up is halal but perhaps, you will indeed see a slightly more brazen Bushra Ansari, a little unfiltered as she’s reassured by the “no phones” policy. Bushra Ansari in the house and she won’t talk about her beloved country and indulge in political and societal satire? You’ll have to experience it to know if that’s possible!
She shared details about her personal reluctance about stand ups and where she had to look for inspiration. There were a few “planted” acts that created more buzz and energy. In unfazed, signature Bushra Ansari style, she went along with the few tech and human errors so naturally you couldn’t even tell if it was planned or unforeseen. She effortlessly stayed relevant to all age groups – as a younger audience watching, she appealed to all age groups and managed to induce fits of laughter. Though a few of the references were dated and classic, the show definitely made an impact on the industry, a first attempt of its kind and a great first step since we seem to have lost the magic in our comedy and its relevance to current state of affairs ! Her stories, while hilarious, were also poignant and worthy of bringing tears to your eyes. Her endearing versions of a reality check one should have in life around the themes of fathers and husbands stood out particularly. Anecdotes of her fan experiences will leave you thinking about us as a society and why we judge and what we think … and is that okay?
Did It Do Justice To Her Legendary Life?
But we say this from a place of love – we are familiar with and have seen her magnanimous talent and potential over the years – her jokes and stories were a 100 in the first half, somewhere along the way as the show reached its 2nd half, the humour stopped hitting the funny bone with as much impact, there was also a lot of potential left untapped. Some jokes fell flat, the references flew over our heads, failing to connect the dots, there was an unclear theme and some moments, it seems, were just added on a whim. The ending was slightly abrupt which we expected would have been tied up in a neat red bow to finish off the entire performance like she does with all her work.
What is and felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity for audiences, left us feeling starved. We felt like so much more was missed out on, her extensive life lessons, journey, tid bits from her career and more of her quirky stories we wanted to become a part of, but wistfully left feeling a void. The show was in no way below par, distasteful or even average but while we did enjoy most of it we also felt like we were served an appetizer and dessert with a half cooked main course. That’s the best analogy we can come up with to describe our feelings on ‘Malika-E-Tabassum’!
The show is a first of its kind in Pakistan and while navigating the yet uncharted waters of stand up comedy might have been tricky for the legend, it sure was a great effort you will enjoy! But one thing is for sure, her energy remained constant and it’s clear Bushra Ansari sets an example for generations to come. Malika E Tabassum is running at Arts Council Karachi from the 1st of July to the 15th of July. You can get your tickets here.
Prepare for a night of joyous laughter, satire and a chance to to witness the iconic Bushra Ansari live!
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