Houston: Hundreds of ardent fans of Urdu Literature and Poetry thanked Mohommad Zafar, Perwaiz Jafri, Ishrat Afreen and Dr. Shagufta Riaz for organizing a most memorable evening with the legendary Zia Mohyeddin.
In his own words, Zia Mohyeddin called it a Bouquet from him to the people of Houston. Perwaiz Jafri thanked everybody to have gathered on time and within a weeks' short notice to have come to listen to the gripping presentation by legendary Zia Mohyeddin. Dr. Surraiya Saleem introduced the guest in her customary cheerful manner.
Zia Mohyeddin has the art of captivating the audiences for hours due to his passionate presentation and exquisite expression. He started this Houston Bouquet Show with a bang with a good-humored story from the translation done by Akhtar Sheerani of Arabic Book Jamael-e-Hakayat. During his presentation, he selected literature and poetry pieces, which use humor to bring out the problems we have in eastern societies because at times people at the world in a myopic manner and/or at times misinterpret from things in our religion(s). At the same time, he presented excerpts about the problems of western societies.
Feeling the appreciative nature and comprehension level of the enthusiastic listeners, Zia Mohyeddin opened his heart out by presenting a piece from his book coming in August 2008 about the traditional Lahore cricket match between Government College and Islamiah College before Pakistan and India became independent countries. He also presented passages from "Fasana-e-Azad", Mujtaba Hussain, Ibna-e-Insha, Asad-Ullah-Khan-Ghalib and much more.
For more information on getting copy of this most unforgettable Zia Mohyeddin Houston Bouquet Show, one can contact via E-Mail urdumarkaz@gmail.com or call Mohommad Zafar at (281) 795-2688; Ishrat Afreen at (281) 858-1218 and/or Dr. Shagufta Riaz at (281) 961-2982.
Earlier in the program, Dr. Surraiya Saleem gave these highlights of Zia Mohyeddin life. Born in Faisalabad (formerly Lyallpur in the British India) on June 20, 1933, this Pakistani actor famed for his voice, got trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London from 1953-1956. After stage roles in Long Day's Journey Into Night and Julius Caesar, he made his West End debut in A Passage to India in 1960. He made his film debut in Lawrence of Arabia in 1963, playing the role of Tafas (the Arab guide, who is shot by Omar Sharif for drinking water from the wrong well.). He then made numerous TV and film appearances, and starred as Dr. Aziz in the 1965 BBC television version of A Passage to India.
He returned to Pakistan in the late 1960s. There he founded and ran the PIA Arts and Dance Academy, and hosted his own TV talk show called "Zia Mohyeddin Show". Around this time he met and subsequently (in 1973) married the Kathak dancer Naheed Siddiqui. However after difficulties with the regime, Mohyeddin returned to England in the late 1970s, shortly followed by his wife. During the 1980s Zia worked in Birmingham, Great Britain, where he produced Central Television's flagship multicultural program 'Here and Now'.
Zia Mohyeddin resumed his acting career in Europe, appearing in small roles in various movies and television programs. He has since traveled the world giving Urdu poetry and prose recitations. In February 2005 President Pervez Musharraf invited Mohyeddin to act as Chairman of the new National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi.
Some of his selected films include Immaculate Conception, The Assam Garden, Ashanti, Bombay Talkie, Khartoum, Behold a Pale Horse and Lawrence of Arabia. His famous TV Plays were: Bergerac, The Jewel in the Crown, Death of a Princess, Gangsters, Man in a Suitcase, Adam Adamant Lives!, The Avengers and The Adventures of Sir Francis Drake (7 Jan 1962 episode "Visit to Spain").
