Writer and director Aamir Raza Husain’s latest play Mehernama is about the legendary love story narrated through brilliant script. He shared details with Divya Kaushik
Aamir Raza Husain, the known theatre writer and director, has been fascination with history and stage since long now. He says that the whole wide variety of history, be it the medieval British history, Russian history, history of Independence movement and everything about that era has been of interest to him. While reading and researching on his famous historical topics and stories, often he had chanced upon interesting stories. “Everything that interested and intrigued me, I chose them to be a subject of my writing and my plays,” he commented.
Theatre director and writer, who is known for his productions like The Fifty Day War and The legend of Ram, staged his latest play Mehernama at the Taj Palace Hotel, during the celebrations, ‘Five years of Powerbuzz.’
The play was first staged in Hyderabad and then the performances followed in Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi. The play captured the administrative set up, palace intrigues, the love story of Prince Salim who later became Emperor Jehangir and Mehrunnisa who became Noor Jahan in an amazing presentation. Mehernama covered three generations from Mughal-E-Azam, from Akbar to Shah Jahan.
It is the story of war and peace, the story of rebellion and reconciliation, the story of power and politics, but above all it is an epic of love undying, a romance that transcends generations, surpasses diversity to become the world’s most inspiring story of love.
Nur Jahan, the Mughal empress who is known in the history as a strong, charismatic and well-educated woman was born as Mehrunnisa.
The play first narrates the story of how prince Salim gets closer to Mehrunnisa. But Mehrunissa was married to her first husband Ali Quli Istajlu (also known as Sher Afghan) when she was 17.
In 1605, the couple was blessed with a daughter named ladli Begum. After Sher Afghan was murdered and Salim ascended the throne as Emperor Jahangir, the two unite. Most would think that the play would end with the union of Jahangir and Nur Jahan, but it extends to incorporate another Mughal love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz.
The play is packed well with the help of brilliant script and as it talks about the era which is known to us for its grandeur, Aamir brought that grandeur and royalty to the stage.
“It was important to the setting of the play. Since it was talking of the love story of a certain era it was important that the backdrop should take the audience back to the era, so efforts were made to make every bit of the stage look grand,” said Aamir, who is also known for his English comedy plays.