The Awami Theatre Festival 2026 used humour and satire to confront significant urban challenges on its third day, as two stage plays addressing civic issues and social conventions were presented to a large audience at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi.
According to a report today, the festival, organised by the Arts Council, continued its run at Auditorium II, where attendees responded enthusiastically to the evening’s productions. The performances reportedly drew a strong positive reaction, marked by laughter and applause from the spectators.
The first play, “Hota Hai Shab-o-Roz Tamasha”, staged at 6:00 pm, offered a satirical critique of the problems affecting the city. Written and directed by Sohail Abbasi, the production addressed public ignorance and systemic irregularities in the education and healthcare sectors. It also highlighted shortages of water, electricity, and gas, alongside environmental concerns. The cast included Shar Ghazal, Irma Ahmed, Bobi Kamal, and Farrukh Darbar.
Following this, the comedy “Ulta Shulta” provided further social commentary through a story centred on a wealthy family. Directed by Rizwan Mirza and written by H. Iqbal, the play’s narrative revolves around complicated marriage arrangements between cousins, one obsessed with Charlie Chaplin and another aspiring to be a cricket superstar.
The plot features the businessman”s daughter questioning the suitability of a marriage to the self-proclaimed “superstar,” while a secondary storyline develops involving the businessman’s friend’s son. He takes a job as a driver at the sister’s house after a disagreement at home, where he falls for her daughter before his true identity is revealed. The play”s cast featured Ashraf Chiragh, Imran Nawaz, Shanzy, Sitara Zaidi, and Ayesha Jibran.