Latest news with #MaujCollective
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
When Ram met Raavan in Karachi: Ramayana takes the centre-stage in Pakistan for the first time ever
TIL Creatives Representational AI Image. In a groundbreaking moment for South Asian theatre, Ramayana —the Hindu epic—was performed for the first time in Pakistan, premiering on July 11 at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi, reported TOI. Directed by 30-year-old Yogeshwar Karera, the production featured an all-Muslim cast (except for the director), cutting-edge use of AI, and a sold-out show of around 1,000 tickets—despite ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. Karera, a finance graduate-turned-theatre director, launched the play under the banner of Mauj Collective, a Karachi-based theatre group he co-founded just a year ago. 'We didn't anticipate this level of enthusiasm,' Karera admitted, referring to the warm reception from audiences and the cross-border curiosity it generated. Rather than stir controversy, the show sparked to the report, the team also promoted the play with a clever twist: a social media video featuring light-hearted, imaginative questions like 'If Ram could tweet from the forest, what would he say?' and 'If Raavan gave a TED Talk, what would its title be?' The video went viral, adding buzz in the lead-up to the premiere. While the Hindu epic might be seen as a religiously sensitive choice in Pakistan, the cast and crew say they encountered no resistance. 'Nobody questioned our decision—not the sponsors, not the venues,' said Raana Kazmi, who co-founded Mauj Collective and played the role of Sita. 'It only came up when the media asked. People from all walks of life came to see it—students, families, seniors. A friend even shared how a parent explained each scene to their child during the show.' Karera's childhood fascination with the Ramayana began with watching Ramanand Sagar's televised version on Doordarshan, TOI further reported.'Even though I'm not from the religious community it's rooted in, the story always felt like mine. It's part of our subcontinental culture, and its values are universal,' he said. To bridge cultural and linguistic gaps, the team modified a few Sanskrit and Hindi terms to ones more familiar to Karachi audiences. Words like prakriti became kudrat . These adjustments occasionally led to on-stage hiccups, said TOI. 'In one scene, Hanuman gives me a ring, and I know the word anguthi . But one day, Jibran (who played Hanuman) said 'mundrika,' and I just froze,' Kazmi laughed, recalling the confusion. 'I had no idea what a mundrika was supposed to be.' Ashmal Lalwany, who played Ram, echoed the belief that the story felt organically theirs to tell. 'It was never about messaging or politics. We weren't trying to say anything profound—we were just telling a story that belongs to this land.' With strong performances, modern tech, and a fearless reinterpretation of a cultural classic, Mauj Collective's Ramayana not only entertained—it made history.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Ram met Raavan in Karachi: Ramayana takes the centre-stage in Pakistan for the first time ever
In a groundbreaking moment for South Asian theatre , Ramayana —the Hindu epic—was performed for the first time in Pakistan, premiering on July 11 at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi, reported TOI. Directed by 30-year-old Yogeshwar Karera , the production featured an all-Muslim cast (except for the director), cutting-edge use of AI, and a sold-out show of around 1,000 tickets—despite ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Finance Project Management Cybersecurity Operations Management MBA others Technology PGDM Public Policy Data Analytics Data Science MCA Management Leadership Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Digital Marketing Degree Others Healthcare CXO healthcare Product Management Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta SEPO - IIMC CFO India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Fintech & Blockchain India Starts on undefined Get Details A Bold Debut for a Beloved Epic Karera, a finance graduate-turned-theatre director, launched the play under the banner of Mauj Collective , a Karachi-based theatre group he co-founded just a year ago. 'We didn't anticipate this level of enthusiasm,' Karera admitted, referring to the warm reception from audiences and the cross-border curiosity it generated. Rather than stir controversy, the show sparked admiration. According to the report, the team also promoted the play with a clever twist: a social media video featuring light-hearted, imaginative questions like 'If Ram could tweet from the forest, what would he say?' and 'If Raavan gave a TED Talk, what would its title be?' The video went viral, adding buzz in the lead-up to the premiere. Live Events Breaking Boundaries, Not Just With Storytelling While the Hindu epic might be seen as a religiously sensitive choice in Pakistan, the cast and crew say they encountered no resistance. 'Nobody questioned our decision—not the sponsors, not the venues,' said Raana Kazmi, who co-founded Mauj Collective and played the role of Sita. 'It only came up when the media asked. People from all walks of life came to see it—students, families, seniors. A friend even shared how a parent explained each scene to their child during the show.' Karera's childhood fascination with the Ramayana began with watching Ramanand Sagar's televised version on Doordarshan, TOI further reported. 'Even though I'm not from the religious community it's rooted in, the story always felt like mine. It's part of our subcontinental culture, and its values are universal,' he said. Faithful Storytelling Meets Karachi Culture To bridge cultural and linguistic gaps, the team modified a few Sanskrit and Hindi terms to ones more familiar to Karachi audiences. Words like prakriti became kudrat . These adjustments occasionally led to on-stage hiccups, said TOI. 'In one scene, Hanuman gives me a ring, and I know the word anguthi . But one day, Jibran (who played Hanuman) said 'mundrika,' and I just froze,' Kazmi laughed, recalling the confusion. 'I had no idea what a mundrika was supposed to be.' Ashmal Lalwany, who played Ram, echoed the belief that the story felt organically theirs to tell. 'It was never about messaging or politics. We weren't trying to say anything profound—we were just telling a story that belongs to this land.' With strong performances, modern tech, and a fearless reinterpretation of a cultural classic, Mauj Collective's Ramayana not only entertained—it made history.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
AI meets Ayodhya: How a young drama group staged Pakistan's first Ramayana
If Ram could send one tweet from the forest, what would he say? If Raavan could do a TED talk, what would it be titled? A week before the premiere of 'Ramayana' at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi on July 11, 30-year-old finance grad-turned-director Yogeshwar Karera shot off Karan Johar-style rapid-fire questions at his cast for a social media promo. This was no ordinary stage production — the Hindu epic had never been performed in Pakistan before. The cast was entirely Muslim, except for the director, and the play used AI to enhance storytelling. Despite recent Indo-Pak tensions, it sold around 1,000 tickets and generated buzz on both sides of the border. 'We weren't expecting such a response,' says Karera, surprised by the congratulatory messages pouring in for Mauj Collective, the theatre group he co-founded a year ago. He says the near-war between the two countries did not impact the play. 'The sponsors and venues had no reservations at all about staging it. Only the media has asked us these questions. In fact, it didn't even cross our minds that this might be seen as sensitive or controversial,' says Raana Kazmi, co-founder of Mauj Collective with a day job in HR. 'People from all backgrounds came, regardless of their religion. Families with kids, students, the elderly, everyone. A friend told me about how a parent explained each scene to their child,' says Kazmi, who played the role of Sita. Samhan Ghazi brought fierce intensity to the role of Raavan. Karera, a Sindhi who moved to Karachi in his teens, says his fascination for the epic tale of good triumphing over evil started young. 'I was five years old when I first watched Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan on Doordarshan. The story grabbed me from the start,' says Karera, who decided to pursue theatre full time in the middle of his finance and accounting degree. After getting a diploma at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Pakistan, Karera and two friends, Kazmi and Sana Toaha, founded Mauj Collective. The year-old theatre troupe uses tech-savvy stagecraft, social media flair and scripts that speak to a younger generation. Although some have interpreted Mauj's 'Ramayana' as a statement on religious unity, the group maintains their goal wasn't about sending a message. 'None of us ever felt like we were telling a story outside the world we inhabit. I've grown up with this story of the Ramayana. I may not belong to the community religiously, but this is a story of our subcontinent. It never felt like the story wasn't ours to tell. The values in it are universal,' says Ashmal Lalwany, who played Ram in the production. Some Sanskrit and Hindi words were adapted to terms more familiar to a Karachi audience. For instance, 'prakriti' became 'kudrat'. Sometimes, this would lead to amusing confusion. 'In one scene, Hanuman is supposed to give me a ring. Now, I know the word 'anguthi' means 'ring,' and that's it. But one day during rehearsal, Jibran Khan (who plays Hanuman) says, 'Aap is mundrika ko dekhein'. I was just standing there like, 'Where am I supposed to look? What is a mundrika?' laughs Kazmi.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
AI meets Ayodhya: Young drama group stages Pak's 1st Ramayana
Young drama group stages Pak's 1st Ramayana If Ram could send one tweet from the forest, what would he say? If Raavan could do a TED talk, what would it be titled? A week before the premiere of ' Ramayana ' at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi on July 11, 30-year-old finance grad-turned-director Yogeshwar Karera shot off Karan Johar-style rapid-fire questions at his cast for a social media promo. This was no ordinary stage production — the Hindu epic had never been performed in Pakistan before. The cast was entirely Muslim, except for the director, and the play used AI to enhance storytelling. Despite recent Indo-Pak tensions, it sold around 1,000 tickets and generated buzz on both sides of the border. 'We weren't expecting such a response,' says Karera, surprised by the congratulatory messages pouring in for Mauj Collective, the theatre group he co-founded a year ago. He says the near-war between the two countries did not impact the play. 'The sponsors and venues had no reservations at all about staging it. Only the media has asked us these questions. In fact, it didn't even cross our minds that this might be seen as sensitive or controversial,' says Raana Kazmi, co-founder of Mauj Collective with a day job in human resources. 'This is a story of universal values, a story of ours to tell' People from all backgrounds came, regardless of their religion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Families with kids, students, the elderly, everyone. A friend told me about how a parent explained each scene to their child,' says Kazmi, who played the role of Sita. Samhan Ghazi brought fierce intensity to the role of Raavan. Karera, a Sindhi who moved to Karachi in his teens, says his fascination for the epic tale of good triumphing over evil started young. 'I was five years old when I first watched Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan on Doordarshan. The story grabbed me from the start,' says Karera, who decided to pursue theatre full time in the middle of his finance and accounting degree. After getting a diploma at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Pakistan, Karera and two friends, Kazmi and Sana Toaha, founded Mauj Collective. The year-old theatre troupe uses tech-savvy stagecraft, social media flair and scripts that speak to a younger generation. Although some have interpreted Mauj's 'Ramayana' as a statement on religious unity, the group maintains their goal wasn't about sending a message. 'None of us ever felt like we were telling a story outside the world we inhabit. I've grown up with this story of the Ramayana. I may not belong to the community religiously, but this is a story of our subcontinent. It never felt like the story wasn't ours to tell. The values in it are universal,' says Ashmal Lalwany, who played Ram in the production. Some Sanskrit and Hindi words were adapted to terms more familiar to a Karachi audience. For instance, 'prakriti' became 'kudrat'. Sometimes, this would lead to amusing confusion. 'In one scene, Hanuman is supposed to give me a ring. Now, I know the word 'anguthi' means 'ring,' and that's it. But one day during rehearsal, Jibran Khan (who plays Hanuman) says, 'Aap is mundrika ko dekhein'. I was just standing there like, 'Where am I supposed to look? What is a mundrika?' laughs Kazmi.
