Bhai Bhai explores a love-hate relationship between brothers

Marking Faran Tahir’s stage debut in Pakistan, the latest theatre production Bhai Bhai - which is directed by Faran himself - opened to public on February 3, 2019 at the Karachi Arts Council. An adaptation of Sam Sheppard’s iconic American comedy True West, the play is produced by Tahir Entertainments, led by industry veteran Naeem Tahir.The play’s premiere in Karachi last week was a star studded affair with Faysal Qureshi, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Arjumand Rahim and ace artists Samina Ahmed, Munawar Saeed and Shakeel Yousuf in attendance.Bhai Bhai follows the love-hate relationship of two brothers, essayed by Faran and his actual brother Ali Tahir, both of whom stole the show with their superb energy and performances. The 100-minute long play had multiple hilarious moments, particularly when Hina Dilpazir, who essays the role of the mother, appeared onstage. That said it was a tad bit too long and could have easily saved 30 minutes, with a tighter script.As far as the plot goes, Bhai Bhai revolves around an extended dialogue between two brothers – Boney (Ali) and Buddy (Faran) – who love each other but are dealing with insecurities as well. Boney is a screenwriter who is trying to write a script for Netflix while Buddy is a drunkard, who is only there to rob goods from houses in the neighbourhood. They are finding a way out for themselves and when their interests begin to clash, they have a hard time dealing with it. A major highlight of the play is the commentary on the television industry, particularly with the ever growing popularity of Netflix; the streaming site has some amazing series on offer and every producer is eyeing it. Bhai Bhai did make for some good laughs while highlighting some of the present-day issues that are common in the industry.Faran and Ali were effortless in their dialogue delivery and their energy only went up as the play proceeded. It was a treat to watch Faran onstage in Pakistan; he brought his A-game to the table while Ali with his comic role reminded viewers what a brilliant performer he is.Aside from Faran and Ali, the play featured Aamir Qureshi as Zaigham, the producer and Hina Dilpazir as their unconventional mother. Though she was onstage for just a few minutes, she won hearts with her spontaneity and hilarious take on motherhood. Not the desi brown mother, she would surprise audience who were left in fits of laughter while Hina took the stage.We spoke to a few artists who attended the first show to find out how they felt about the play.“I think theatre is coming of age in Pakistan; I am glad to see that we are able to push the boundaries and explore things that haven’t been done before,” Hina Khawaja Bayat shared with Instep on the sidelines of the premiere. “It was unusual and to be honest it was a bit long. But the relationship of two brothers with a lot of emotional baggage when it comes to parents was light heartedly explored. I think it was interesting and personally I enjoyed the first half more.”Actor-producer Faysal Qureshi, on the other hand, noted, “For me the entire play was mesmerizing. All the characters performed with their heart and soul, their timing was exceptional and I think we have gotten to see this kind of theatre after a very long time. Bhai Bhai is very different and people should definitely come and watch the play. It is quite relatable.”Bhai Bhai is currently running at the Arts Council, Karachi, till February 10. 

from The News International - Instep Today http://bit.ly/2ta6cdY