It is not often that one gets to be in the company of not just one, but three stars in an intimate dinner setting. Last evening, Shahid and I got to be lucky thanks to Nasreen and Rafiq Bengali, a new friend who I met after being introduced by another star Pakistani- based Javed Jabbar.
The guest of honor was Zia Mohiuddin, a living legend, who has often performed in New York area. Our dear friends Sajjad and Fauzia Iqbal had been inviting him for performances for many years, and then donating the proceeds to organizations like Developments in Literacy, etc. Masood Haider has honored him as well at the annual functions honoring the Aligarh University- probably the most famed of Muslim universities in India- which brought together all Urdu lovers in tri-state area. We have missed those gatherings, and hope one day they resume. Zia Bhai, as I call him, is a multi-talented actor who grew up in England and was a member of the Royal Society of Drama and Arts. He was in many films, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Passage to India, etc. which catapulted him to fame on the world stage. There is so much to say about him that I could not even summarize it here but here is a link https://www.napa.org.pk/team/zia-mohyeuddin/. Last night, it was so nice to see him in a relaxed state, yet treating us to Urdu expressions and witticisms that only he could deliver. As he gathers his thoughts, we all would sit with great anticipation watching his body language, eager to hear every word, monitoring every tone and watching his own love of language and arts shine through on his face bringing to us the wit and elegance of ages past.
The second guest of honor was Dr. Azra Raza https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azra_Raza, another unique star. Not only is she a famed oncologist and author of “The First Cell”- which all of us should read and pass on to future generations- but she is talented in Urdu and English language, and delivers poetry in both languages with such impeccable timing that one is left in awe. So here were two masters of Urdu and English language parrying back and forth like two fencers. For the other handful of guests and the lovely hosts it was like a tennis match, relishing great “shots” of language thrown into the air to settle into each of us – to be moved in our own way by the beauty of not just the language but the interaction. It reminded me again how lucky I feel to have had Urdu lovers in my family who taught me, to be able to appreciate the nuances and subtleties of our culture, which is interconnected to so many other cultures of the world. Indeed, when we appreciate any culture, we are appreciating all cultures.
The third star, Azra Mohiuddin- wife of Zia Mohiuddin- is a TV star and performer in her own right. In fact, she is returning in a few days to film in another Pakistani TV drama. I met Azra long time ago through Fauzia, as they are childhood friends. She also treated us to a beautiful Shia song, and I remembered her singing sessions at Nuzzo and Sajjad’s house when we would sit on the floor (our younger days) and engage in the energetic interactions of Urdu songs and ghazals. Her colorful stories added much joy to the evening! Often the subject of Lucknow, India would come up as that city is known for its preservation of Urdu language the most, and several guests had connections to its past.
I knew from the many stays of Zia Bhai at Nuzzo’s house that he eats dinner at 10 pm sharp, and with very particular rituals. So of course, we all sat down to eat at 10 pm, enjoyed Nasreen’s home cooked food as well as some dishes cooked by Azra Mohiuddin. Every time, someone went for seconds they would tell the table to hold the conversation so nothing would be missed- the delicious conversation had to wait for the delicious food refills. I was like a sponge soaking in the beauty of meeting these three stars again: Azra, Zia and Azra! All three have achieved a lot, not just due to gifted genes, but incredible vision, hard work and dedication to a larger cause. I left enriched and touched by their talents and beauty. May all culture ambassadors continue to thrive and enrich lives of others, and inspire younger stars for the future!
Be First to Comment