LAHORE: The Manto Festival will finally be taking place at Alhamra Hall, Lahore, on January 29 and 30, after much controversy. The two-day event celebrating renowned writer Saadat Hasan Manto was earlier cancelled due to alleged ‘vulgarity’ but the decision has been reversed after protests.
The festival will be under the supervision of the Lahore Arts Council. “There have been numerous literary discussions and events on Manto’s life which both local and international fans have attended. However, the current administration earlier decided to cancel the festival for no good reason,” an Alhamra Arts official told The Express Tribune. “Although they have decided to hold the festival again, there will be no variety in terms of events and activities during the festivals – only plays will be performed.” A Lahore Arts Council Public Relations officer confirmed the same.
Four groups, including Ajoka Theatre, Aks Theatre, Azad Theatre and Maas Foundation, have been invited to perform. These groups will present four drama performances based on Manto’s writings.The Manto Festival was previously going to take place on January 14 to 17. It was cancelled after concerns over the ‘bold nature’ of the author’s work. Sources stated that religious extremists had forced the cancellation as they believed the celebrated author’s works promote vulgarity.
