Theatre
Siddiqui has seen success in the theatre field as well. From serving IPTA as a National Vice President, he later contributed in the origin and functioning of the Marathi IPTA as well, and has been associated with it as a national member.
His play 'Tumhari Amrita, based on A R Gurney's classic American play Love Letters, with only two actors (Shabana Azmi and Farooq Shaikh) reading out letters to each other, became a critical success. Since its debut in 1993, the play has been performed all over the world, including a special performance at the United Nations, the first Indian play to do so.
This was followed by Saalgirah, starring actress Kirron Kher, a play dealing with the complexity of divorce in modern urban life.
Siddiqui has successfully ventured into various domains, from Bertolt Brecht to more contemporary themes in his adaptations. He has adapted Bertolt Brecht's play Puntilla and several of his other works. His play Andhe Choohe based on Agatha Christie's Mousetrap, is one of the world's longest running dramas. In the words of critic Vijay Nair, "Javed Siddiqi’s lines are as poignant as ever. They leap out of the letters as little gems. At times they plead with the incoherence of hurts long stifled. At times they flare up like little flames scorching the audience. At times they sooth like fresh raindrops after a scorching summer. But at all times they have a life of their own and make their presence felt like an invisible third character on stage." His play 1857: Ek Safarnama set in Indian Rebellion of 1857 was also stage at Purana Qila, Delhi ramparts by Nadira Babbar and National School of Drama Repertory company, in 2008.
Over the years he has written numerous plays, including Hamesha, Begum Jaan, Aap Ki Soniya and Kacche Lamhe.
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Famous quotes containing the word theatre:
“Mankind’s common instinct for reality ... has always held the world to be essentially a theatre for heroism. In heroism, we feel, life’s supreme mystery is hidden. We tolerate no one who has no capacity whatever for it in any direction. On the other hand, no matter what a man’s frailties otherwise may be, if he be willing to risk death, and still more if he suffer it heroically, in the service he has chosen, the fact consecrates him forever.”
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