Home > Entertainment > Indian Drama & Theatre > Abdullah Mohammed Hafiz
Abdullah Mohammed Hafiz
Abdullah Mohammed Hafiz was a great playwright in Urdu.

Share this Article:

Abdullah Mohammed Hafiz was a great playwright in Urdu language. This scholarly figure was born in a landowning family in Fatehpur district, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Abdullah, Mohammed Hafiz was well-versed in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, and a poet, he began his theatrical career as an actor. In the years of 1881-1882, he founded his own Indian Imperial Theatrical Company patronized by Maharaja Nihal Singh of Dhaulpur. He published more than fifty plays, `operas`, and sketches, usually deriving his plots from traditional tales or, sometimes, from other dramatists.

Life in Theatre for Abdullah Mohammed Hafiz
Abdullah, Mohammed Hafiz has largely written during the 1880s, Abdullah`s plays continued to be reissued until the late 1920s, the more popular ones reprinted in thousands. He followed the dominant practice of professional Urdu theatre in using words, music, and songs in profusion. Some of his more successful works were the verse operas Shakimtala in the year 1885 and Zulm-e-Azlam i.e. "Azlam`s Oppression" in 1886. Abdullah inherited a fiercely nationalistic approach to colonial rule from his proud and patriotic father. In 1889, in Allahabad, he invited the wrath of the local British Superintendent of Police, who had his theatre burnt down. Despite heavy losses, he got the company together again in a very short time and wrote a play, simply called Police Drama, satirizing police high-handedness. In social and moral terms, Abdullah was a conservative person. He often interpolated into his plays and their prefaces strictures against contemporary trends towards reform. As for example, in the preface to Ishq-e-Laila Majmin i.e. "Love of Laila and Majnun" in the year 1889, he claimed to have included an indictment against coeducation and the practice of women giving up purdah. Abdullah, Mohammed Hafiz`s sermonizing tendency is also evident in morality plays like Fareb-e-fitan i.e. "Deceitful Mischief" in 1885. In that play the characters personify virtues and vices, and the entire action revolves around the conflict between good and evil.

This individual, among the popular personalities in India theatre, named Abdullah, Mohammed Hafiz died in the year of 1922.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Indian Drama & Theatre


Gondhal Dance
Gondhal is a religious performing folk art of Maharashtra. It is performed on special days like when there is a newborn in a family or marriage.
Tamasha Folk Dance
Tamasha is a folk art, which includes the love songs, which are traditional lavanis and dance along with the music.
History of Indian Theatre
The history of Indian theater is therefore the saga of changing tradition and the account of changing ritualism.
Indian Dramatist
Indian dramatists maintained Indian drama as a distinct art form.
Sringara Rasa
Sringara Rasa is mentioned in Natyashastra as one of the important rasas. The Sthayi bhava in Sringara rasa is Rati or love.
History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
Navarasas - Natyashastra
Nine rasas or navarasas, described in Natyashastra contours the structure of Indian drama.
History of Kannada Theatre
History of Kannada theatre brings forth the richness in the Kannada culture. Theatre of Karnataka has been greatly inspired from various other forms of regional theatre in India.
Powada - Marathi Ballad
Powada is a Marathi ballad describing heroic deeds of valour by great warriors and kings.
Jatra - Bengali Folk Drama
Jatra is a form of folk drama from West Bengal, which includes acting, songs, music and dance by travelling troops
Kuvempu
Kuvempu is a literary acronym of Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa - a popular Kannada actor-playwright.
Natyashastra
Natyashastra by Bharata muni is the most detail and elaborate of all treatises on dramatic criticism and acting ever written in any language and is regarded as the oldest surviving text on stagecraft in the world.
History of Bengali Theatre
Blessed with its rich heritage the history of Bengali theatre is the saga of the journey of Bengali Theatre
Bhavai - Folk Theatre of Gujarat
Bhavai is a popular folk theatre form of Gujarat that belongs to the tradition of theatre of entertainment.
Theatre In Ancient India
Theatre in ancient India in a systematic manner was introduced by Bharat Muni who prefaced the term "roopaka".
Bidesiya - Folk Theatre Dance
Bidesiya is one of the most popular folk theatre dance forms of Bihar which is said to have originated in the 20th century.
Regional Theatre in India
Regional theatre in India, in different Indian languages and regions, developed as an important element of Indian culture and tradition.
Koodiyattam
Koodiyattam is the oldest existing classical theatre form of the world. It has been recognised by UNESCO as a Human Heritage Art.
Indian Theatre Festivals
Indian theatre festivals help to bridge the gap between the various regions of the country. It also helps to bridge the gap among people and participants!
Kariyila Folk Dance
Kariyila is one of the most appealing and popular folk drama forms of Himachal Pradesh, portraying social satire with the accompaniment of folk dance and music.
Bengali Theatre
Bengali theatre had developed as a prominent form of protest movement during the colonial period. But with time it has made a niche for itself.