Burqavaganza

Burqavaganza (Urdu: برقع وگینزا) is a controversial satirical play written by Shahid Nadeem about the burqa worn by conservative Muslim women, staged in Pakistan in 2010 by the Ajoka Theater Company.[1]

Ajoka Theatre

Ajoka Theatre is a drama group founded by playwright Madeeha Gauhar, with the goal of producing "socially meaningful theatre about women's issues and Sufi ideas."[2]

Controversy

Burkavaganza has received criticism with conservative members of the society for being blasphemous. Madeeha Gauhar, with the Ajoka Theatre group, stated in an interview with BBC that "the play is not designed to offend Islam or any other religion". In 2012 Gauhar stated "some people say it is burqa bashing. It certainly is not; it has many layers of meaning, and I think that's precisely why it was deemed subversive and subsequently it was not allowed to be performed."[3] For some, "Burqavaganza" is a funny love story in the time of jihad. For others, it mocks Islam.[4] Burqavaganza play has successfully brought Ajoka into the limelight because of its highly controversial theme.

Government ban on the play

The government's ban on the play highlighted Pakistan's liberal-conservative divide. The ban was viewed by some commentators as an act of appeasement towards religious extremists by a government that was otherwise keen to promote a liberal ethos in the country.[5]

A senior official at the Ministry of Culture said the play “pollutes young minds” and “should not be shown anywhere in Pakistan.” The Senate's cultural committee concluded a venomous debate by issuing a recommendation that “plays not hurt the feelings of anyone.” [4]

References
  1. "Ajoka brings "Burqavaganza" to Karachi", Dawn, retrieved 2010-07-18, ... The infamous banned satire play "Burqavaganza" presented by Ajoka, was shown at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. The writer and director Shahid Nadeem used the burqa as a symbol that represented the social, political, cultural, and religious issues that many Pakistanis face on a daily basis. "Burqavaganza" was an audacious and fearless play that tried to address all the issues through comedy relief ...
  2. Sarina Singh; Lindsay Brown; Paul Clammer; Rodney Cocks; John Mock, Pakistan & the Karakoram Highway, Lonely Planet, 2008, ISBN 978-1-74104-542-0, ... Madeeha Gauhar established the Ajoka Theatre in 1983 to produce 'socially meaningful theatre' about women's issues and Sufi ideas. Its recent satirical musical Burqavaganza, about the impact of the veil on private, public and political levels, was banned after protests by Islamists ...
  3. Imes Borden, Sarah (2014). Stage warriors : women on the front lines of dangerous drama. Seattle: Cune Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-61457-089-9.
  4. NY Times
  5. Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (2007), Pakistan horizon, Volume 60, Issue 3, ... One, the militant Islamist surge that has upset the country's freedom of thought, by controlling certain mediums of behaviour — such as banning the Ajoka Theatre's satire, 'Burqavaganza' — could also undermine a government keen on ...


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