Bonhomie, banter on display between artists, audience during Jash-e-Rekhta festival in Dubai

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Dubai, Feb 1 (PTI) An evening of shared cultural heritage, celebrating the Urdu language, turned into banter and bonhomie between artists and the audience during the popular Jashn-e-Rekhta platform here on Saturday.

The festival had a fitting performance by prominent theatre personality Piyush Mishra’s rendition of the famous song ‘Dilli Se Lahore Tak’.

Popular Pakistani actor Imran Abbas said, “Was about to work twice with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali but the projects were shelved at the last minute, in one case one week before the shooting was scheduled to begin.” “I couldn’t do Heera Mandi and had to miss several such projects due to the circumstances,” he said.

An accomplished singer, Abbas also hummed the legendary Mohammad Rafi song, ‘Abhi Na Jaao Chod Kar Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahi’.

“The feeling of love between the two countries gets accentuated with events such as these. We need to revive a dying culture associated with Urdu, which is a beautiful language that deserves our support across borders,” Abbas said.

Popular actress Saba Qamar, who has also featured in a few Bollywood movies such as Irfan Khan-starrer Hindi Medium, said, “My life is like movies of Imtiaz Ali, the stories of incomplete soul.” Prominent theatre and film artist Piyush Mishra’s band ‘Ballimaaraan’ explored the cultural connection between Delhi and Lahore through music.

Pakistani Sufi singer Shafqat Amanat Ali’s performance concluded the first day’s proceedings at the festival.

Jashn-e-Rekhta, the two-day event is featuring over 50 artists, poets, and performers from India, Pakistan, and beyond, offering a mix of performances, discussions, and interactive sessions. PTI CORR GSP GSP