A remarkable revival; celebrating 20 years of Dastangoi

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

In 2025, the world commemorates an extraordinary milestone, the 20th anniversary of the modern revival of Dastangoi, the centuries-old art of Urdu storytelling. Once presumed extinct after fading from the cultural landscape in the 1920s, this lyrical performance tradition has not only been brought back from oblivion, it has also become a symbol of artistic resilience, cultural memory, and collective imagination. Dastan-e-Mir in performance (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
The celebrations by the Dastangoi Collective started with a series of festivals hosted at some of India's most iconic theatre spaces, including Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai and the India Habitat Centre in Delhi. The anniversary has become a multifaceted cultural tribute to this extraordinary revival, from curated performances and public lectures, to documentary screenings and global shows.
Mahmood Farooqui in Dastan-e-Karn (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
The modern journey of Dastangoi began in the early 2000s, when Mahmood Farooqui, inspired by the scholarly work of legendary Urdu critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, resurrected the tradition. SR Faruqi's multi-volume research on Tilism-e-Hoshruba and Dastan-e-Amir Hamza, texts once woven into the cultural fabric of the subcontinent, served as a vital foundation. Through his erudition, he decoded a forgotten universe of fantasy, intricate prose, and moral complexity that had shaped South Asian storytelling for centuries.
In 2005, Mahmood Farooqui, an Oxford trained historian, and filmmaker Anusha Rizvi conceptualised the first modern Dastangoi performance at the India International Centre in New Delhi. This was not merely a re-enactment; it was an artistic reinvention. Farooqui introduced two significant innovations: dual performers instead of the traditional solo narrator, and a fully-designed stage production with lighting, costumes, and structured entrances and exits. He presented a gripping excerpt from the Tilism-e-Hoshruba corpus alongside theatre artist Himanshu Tyagi. The performance captivated audiences, marking not just a return, but a rebirth. For his pioneering efforts in reviving Dastangoi, Mahmood Farooqui was conferred the Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Two decades later, Dastangoi is not a relic but a living, breathing cultural phenomenon. Over 5,000 performances have been staged worldwide in cities like London, New York, Osaka, Dubai and Singapore, as well as in remote villages and towns across India. From the metropolitan halls of the UK to the intimate chaupals and informal stages of rural India, audiences have gathered in awe, drawn by the lyrical elegance of Urdu, the visual richness of descriptions, and the sheer theatricality of storytelling at its finest.
Since the revival, the Dastangoi Collective's repertoire has expanded beyond its classical roots. While Tilism-e-Hoshruba remains sacred ground, new dastans have been created to speak to contemporary times. From folktales like Dastan-e-Chouboli and Dastan Raja Vikram Ki to literary masterpieces like Ghare Bhaire and Dastan-e-Ret Samadhi, and searing biographical narratives like Dastan-e-Raj Kapoor, Dastan-e-Gandhi, Dastan-e-Ambedkar, and Mantoiyat, each performance blends tradition with modernity, fantasy with truth.
Dastan-e-Manto in performance (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
Epics, too, have found their voice in this form. Dastan-e-Karnaz Mahabharata, one of the most celebrated dastans and Dastan Jai Ramji Ki, based on AK Ramanujan's 300 Ramayanas, bring mythological tales into modern sensibilities. Moreover, imaginative artistic tributes like Dastan-e-Raza about the life of the iconic artist Syed Haider Raza, Dastan-e-Naina Devi and works like Dastan-e-Billi, which is a tribute to art historian BN Goswami, offer innovative scholarly celebrations of their work and efforts.
What breathes life into these stories are the storytellers, extraordinary performers, each with a unique voice. These include Darain Shahidi, an award-winning journalist and masterful narrator, Rana Pratap Senger, a veteran of Indian Theatre with deep ties to Habib Tanvir's Naya Theatre, Rajesh Kumar, who has worked in award-winning films like Parzania and Kavi, and Poonam Girdhani, a theatre and radio artist of rare depth and versatility, amongst many more.
Dastan-e-Raj Kapoor in performance (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
Being a dastango is not just about performances but research, authorship, and activism. Many in the Collective have also, over the years, been trained to become writers and scholars. Ainee Farooqui, now a PhD scholar at Princeton University, has authored powerful dastans like Dastan-e-Jallian (on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre) and Dastan-e-Bhagat Singh. Poonam Girdhani has written a dastan on Babasaheb Ambedkar and Dastan-e-Irrfan-e-Buddha. Namita Singhal has crafted a moving narrative on Jawaharlal Nehru, evoking the spirit of pre- and post-Independence India. Meera Rizvi has penned a dastan on celebrated feminist icons, Fahmida Riaz, bringing ideas like gender, women's agency, and freedom of thought and expression to the stage. Equally inspiring is the Collective's commitment to introducing the art to children. Farooqui's Dastan Alice Ki and Dastan Little Prince Ki, and Girdhani's Haroun Ki, adapted from Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories, have enthralled young minds. These performances are not mere simplifications but carry the same layered narratives and poetic elegance, and they aim to instil in the next generation a deep love for storytelling.
Dastan-e-Alice in performance (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
Despite its success, sustaining an ancient art form in today's world comes with formidable challenges. Dastangoi's journey has not been easy, from logistical hurdles to navigating the complexities of political discourse. Yet, the Dastangoi Collective remains deeply committed. Their passion is sustained not by commercial rewards but by the emotional connection they cultivate with the audience through the exchange of stories, empathy, and shared humanity. In an age of shrinking attention spans, the willingness of audiences to immerse themselves in hour-long performances is a testament to its enduring magic. To ensure this connection is sustained, the Collective has extended its efforts into educational institutions through workshops and teaching engagements. Institutions such as the National School of Drama, Ashoka University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University, Punjab University, Christ University, The Doon School, and Woodstock School, amongst others, have all opened their doors to the art.
To date, Mahmood Farooqui has trained over two dozen people in the art of Dastangoi, many of whom practice it professionally. I started my Dastangoi journey in 2014. I was then a student at the University of Delhi. I became passionate about learning the art form after watching a Dastangoi performance at the IHC. I approached Mahmood Farooqui who agreed to take me on as a student. He worked on my voice modulation, speech delivery, narration, and stage presence for a couple of years. During that time, I also learnt a new language – Urdu. Finally, the day came when I made my debut at IHC with a tale from Tilism-e-Hoshruba. The same dastan had once captivated me as I sat in the same auditorium as a member of the audience. Today, I have performed over 100 shows across the country. I have also represented India through Dastangoi at international forums, such as the International Bakshi Art Festival in Uzbekistan and performed Dastan-e-Aftaab along with Amina Syeda at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. I have conducted several workshops and given Dastangoi lectures at various prestigious educational institutions in the country. At the Ashoka University, Girdhani and I have been teaching an undergraduate course on Dastangoi at the Centre for Performing Arts, inspiring students to perform and think, research, and create for several years now.
Dastan-e-Aftab (Courtesy Dastangoi Collective)
The future for Dastangoi remains as vibrant as its past, with new works underway. Mahmood Farooqui is developing a dastan on the life and films of the legendary Guru Dutt and Udit Yadav, a gifted storyteller, is working on a dastan on Kabir. Folktale adaptations and children's dastans are also in the pipeline, continuing the Collective's commitment to innovation and inclusivity.
After 20 years, Dastangoi, which was once known as a whisper of the past, is now a roaring, poetic voice that spans continents. In reviving this tradition, Mahmood Farooqui & his Dastangoi Collective have not only preserved history but have also made it.
Nusrat Ansari works in the social sector. She has been associated with Dastangoi for over 10 years and was awarded the 30 Under 30 Young Achievers Award by Hindustan Times for her achievements in Dastangoi