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Meri Maut

Meri Maut, based on Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’s landmark short story Sardarji, unfolds in New Delhi, 1947 — a city gripped by fear, violence, and communal frenzy. Trapped in a Hindu-majority neighbourhood with a Sikh foe as his only neighbour, a lone Muslim man faces the terrifying uncertainty of survival. Abbas’s writing, both deeply personal and fiercely humanistic, cuts through the chaos of Partition to question prejudice, rumour, and the fragile values of harmony and brotherhood. Controversial in its time and celebrated ever since, Meri Maut remains a powerful reminder of the dangers of division — and the urgent need for empathy.

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Sunday 31st, March 2024
| 7 PM

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70 minutes | Language English

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The Box, Erandwane, Pune

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Details

Tickets – Rs. 400 Students | Rs. 200
Online Booking – BookMyShow
Phone / Email Booking – +91-9860884645 / connect@theloftforum.org

Event Information

Set against the blood-drenched backdrop of New Delhi, 1947, Meri Maut brings to life Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’s timeless and deeply unsettling short story Sardarji. The narrative opens at a moment when India is being carved apart, reshaped, and violently “cleansed,” leaving ordinary citizens to confront impossible choices. In a Hindu-dominated locality, a solitary Muslim man finds himself trapped — his fate intertwined with that of his long-time adversary, a Sikh neighbour. What unfolds is a stark, haunting meditation on fear, hatred, and the fragile threads of shared humanity.

Written nearly 75 years ago, Abbas’s story was both praised and vilified, hailed for its courageous humanism while simultaneously attacked by all three religious communities it depicted. He was even dragged to the Allahabad High Court, where he was ultimately acquitted — with intervention from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sarojini Naidu — a testament to the story’s explosive impact. Since then, Meri Maut has been celebrated as one of the finest literary responses to Partition. Khushwant Singh included it among the Greatest Punjabi Stories Ever Told, noting that no other work captured the Sikh character and the tragedy of Partition with such devastating clarity.

The performance adaptation honours Abbas’s original intent: to serve as a mirror to our conditioning, a warning against the seduction of hatred, and a plea to remember that the past lives unbroken in the present. In a time when communal divides and misinformation still threaten harmony, Meri Maut stands as a potent reminder of what is lost when we surrender to prejudice — and what might yet be salvaged when we choose empathy instead.

Aritsts

About the Writer, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas: With 74 books, 90 short stories, 3,000 journalistic articles, 45 films and several plays to his name, K.A. Abbas was as prolific as he was progressive. As a director and screenwriter, he is considered as one of the pioneers of Indian parallel or neo-realistic cinema. His debut film, Dharti Ke Lal (1946), about the Bengal famine of 1943, opened the overseas market for Indian films in the Soviet Union.

This was followed by films like Neecha Nagar (1946) which won the Palme d’Or at the first Cannes Film Festival, Naya Sansar (1941), Jagte Raho (1956) which won the Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Pardesi (1957) which was nominated for the Palme d’Or, Shehar Aur Sapna (1963) which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, while Saat Hindustani (1969) and Do Boond Pani (1972) both won the National Film Awards for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

He is also known for writing Raj Kapoor’s films, including the Palme d’Or-nominated Awaara, as well as Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby and Henna. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1971, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989.

About the Artist, Vicky Ahuja: Vicky Ahuja works as a professional actor in various media. After working extensively in theatre for 4 years in Delhi, he moved to Mumbai. Since then, he has worked in more than 25 plays across India, with well-known directors such as Makarand Deshpande & Ashok Purang. His film credits include Bhagat Singh, Veer Zaara, Raaz 2, 1920 Evil Returns & Firaaq. In Television, he has appeared in shows like Daayan, Meri Durga, Crime Patrol, CID, Who and Hip Hip Hurray.

About Jashn-e-Qalam: Through the craft of storytelling — the oldest form of theatre, practiced since the dawn of civilization, Jashna-e-Qalam takes the spirit of Hindustani literature to audiences in different contexts and venues. The introspective and interactive nature of their shows results in the creation of a space for dialogue and introspection.

Organization

Supported by Flinn Works and Prakriti Foundation.

Meri Maut

Event Information

Aritsts

Organization

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