Rehearsed reading adapted from the short story The Black Shalwar by Manto, which tells the story of Sultana, a prostitute who wanted a Black Shawl to celebrate the religious festival of Muharram. It highlighted how women were surrounded by social and cultural hypocrisy prevalent in 1940s Indian society. In this version the central character confronts the writer in jail to understand why the writer wrote the story in the way he did. Exploring elements of longing, desire, and equality and mental anguish.

Saadat Hasan Manto was an incredible short story writer of his age. Considered controversial, and yet his short stories were the most widely read in Urdu. He left a tremendous body of work, short stories, essays and film scripts and novel. He was born in Sambrala in Punjab’s Ludhiana District 11th May 1912, in a career spanning over 20 years. His greatest work was produced in the last seven years of his life, a time of great financial and emotional hardship for him. He died January 1955 in Lahore aged 42.This is relevant for today for us to understand, that we need to treat each other well in all walks of life and society with respect and kindness even to ourselves.

In English with other languages.