One almost expects theatremaker Jameel Gulrays to quote Mirza Ghalib, and say ‘Hain aur bhi duniya mein sukhanvar bahut acche… (there are better poets in this world)’ when asked about his upcoming performance at Prithvi House this week. The veteran will take stage tomorrow to showcase the form and nature of the masnavi, a forgotten form of Urdu literature, at the Juhu venue.

“Like most linguistic traditions in India, storytelling in Urdu literature is diverse and layered,” explains Gulrays. As part of the Urdu Mehfil and Katha Kathan series at Prithvi Theatre, the veteran has sought to bring attention to this multi-faceted nature. “Very few people are familiar with Urdu literature, even through poetry. There were forms such as the qasida — used to praise someone or a marsiya, a song of sorrow that have faded out,” he says. Among these is the heejo, made famous by Mohammed Rafi Sauda. “A heejo was a song that was written to criticise or make fun of individuals. Sauda once wrote a poem on a British official, who was so enraged that he wanted the poet killed. So, artists offending officials is not a new thing,” the 76-year-old laughs.