KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi`s annual Awami Theatre Festival (ATF) begins in the council`s amphitheatre on Thursday (today) and will run until July 7.

The plays to be staged are in Urdu, Sindhi, Saraeki, Pashto, Punjabi, Balochi and Gujarati languages. Generally classified as mainstream theatre, which is why anyone can come and see them (and there`s no need to buy tickets for them), theycombine humour and social messages in a lighthearted manner.

The event will kick off with an Urdu play Gold Medal directed by Shakil Shah. The second day Sohail Abbasi`s Bhurban will be put up followed by Meri Beti Raaj Karey Gi directed by Azmat Ali.

There will be two shows on Sunday: the first is Maza To Ab Aaye Ga directed by Pervaiz Siddiqui and the second involves a renowned name in the realm of commercial theatre and stand-up comedy, Rauf Lala, the name of whose play is Biwi Wapas Kero.

On Monday there will be a Pashto drama Mama Day helmed by Ilyas Nadeem while the first Balochi play Dil Wati Sambhal by Danish Baloch will be presented on Wednesday.

The next day a drama in the Gujarati language titled Ee Tu Theno directed by Aftab Kamdar and Aamir Hokla will be pre-sented. The following day i.e. on June 29 the first Sindhi play Hul Pinhal directed by Rizwan Sabir will be staged; and on Thursday the first Punjabi drama Chador directed by Mohammad Ali Naqvi will be performed.

Talking to Dawn, seasoned actor and director Nazar Hussain, who is also the Arts Council`s programme executive (evening), said, `In total 27 plays will be put up. I have also written and directed one called Funny Family.

The importance of this year`s festival is that theatre wasn`t taking place due to the pandemic it`s been quite a while. The artists and technicians weregettingrustybecause of lack of activity. The holding of this event will re-invite people into the auditorium.

Nowhere in the country do the artists get the equipment and venue for free and also get paid for their effort at the same event.