Throughout history, the practice of medicine has been prone to controversies, at times, hilariously so. While there are people who bat for traditional practices, there are those who vouch for the modern. This debate is also at the centre of the satirical play Hakeem.com, which is all set to be performed at India Habitat Centre on Sunday. Written by Akbar Quadri and directed by Fahad Khan, it tells the story of a group of hakeems who feel threatened by a doctor moving into their neighbourhood.
“The tussle between practitioners of traditional and modern medicine has a long history, especially in a country like India, where indigenous traditions of Ayurveda and Unani are always in conflict with modern medicine”, says Fahad, the play’s director. “Both have their merits and demerits. We did not want to praise or put anyone down,” he says.
The play, written before the pandemic, is a production of Antraal Theatre Group, a Delhi-based group founded in 2007 by twin brothers, Akbar and Azam Quadri; Fahad is its current director. The group has, from its inception, consistently produced plays of social commentary and artistic significance, of which Hakeem.com is the latest. It has been performed multiple times in various venues including Delhi and Chandigarh and has been a hit with the audience.
With zany characters and slapstick moments, Hakeem.com is a laugh riot. Sumit Singh, an actor who has worked with Antraal for five years now, plays Nabi Ali, one among the several disgruntled hakeems. “A comedy production offers you a greater chance for improvisation. It is fun but it also has an element of risk-taking. Comedy engages with the audience instantly. But there is also the risk of getting too carried away or messing up your timing. It is comparatively harder to pull off”, he says with a laugh. The play, which is in Urdu and Hindi, has a distinctive Old Delhi tonality with the dialogues reflecting the language of the Old City. “It resonates particularly with the Delhi audience because it speaks to the multicultural nature of the city and its everyday life. The city is also very familiar with the conflict the play deals with—the clash between ancient and modern medical practices”, adds Sumit.
Hakeem.com also deals with themes of larger socio-political significance, namely patriarchy and religious orthodoxy. It brilliantly employs humour to critique the deep-rooted patriarchal structures of religiously conservative households. “We have tried to address the issue of gender inequality and conservatism through the play. It takes jabs at the blatant hypocrisy of the male-dominated world of hakeems and doctors. Women are quite often trapped inside socially outdated customs and norms just because of the narrow-mindedness of the men around them”, says Fahad, who has always been enthusiastic about working on socio-politically charged productions, no matter the genre.
Fahad is from Uttar Pradesh. He got into theatre early on in life. After completing a workshop on direction from National School of Drama, Delhi, he went on to work in multiple productions across a variety of genres, both as a director and an actor. He has directed plays for the Sahitya Kala Parishad and the Sangeet Natak Academy. He frequently collaborates with the Quadri brothers in putting out plays on contemporary issues, with his production of Mausam Ko Achaanak Kya Hogaya, a play about global warming and climate change written by Azam Quadri, garnering praise. He has also worked with the city’s Urdu Academy and Ghalib Institute. “Theatre promotes social inclusion. It is about bringing people together”, says Fahad, who is also a theatre trainer at the NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies, Hauz Khaz.
Antraal is also looking forward to a production of Pehle Aap, a play about Hindu-Muslim relations in Lucknow. “In the context of the rising intolerance in the country, I believe artists and storytellers have an obligation to society. Pehle Aap is about the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, the beautiful cultural fusion that is still considered an ideal by many in northern India. We want to reiterate its significance, especially in the wake of the Nuh violence”, says Fahad. Hakeem.com will be staged at Stein Auditorium, IHC, Lodhi Road, 7:15 PM, on Sept 3. Tickets: bookmyshow.com