The two performances at the Living Arts Centre brought Sufi music, Urdu poetry and musical theatre to audiences in the Greater Toronto Area
Rekhta International Cultural Events (RICE), an affiliate of Rekhta Foundation brought Shaam-e-Rekhta to Canada for the first time on 19 September, with two performances at the Living Arts Centre, Mississauga. The Canadian debut brought together Urdu poetry, music and theatre, introducing audiences to a performance format that has travelled across cities in India and internationally to London and Dubai, and now to Canada.
Presented as an immersive evening centred on the literary and artistic traditions of Urdu, the programme brought together two productions– Roohaniyat, a powerful evening of Sufi music by Rabbi Shergill, whose distinctive voice and contemporary interpretation of poetry have made him one of South Asia’s most celebrated independent musicians. Complementing this is Rang Aur Noor (Urdu Shairon Ke Filmi Shahkaar), a musical-theatrical production written and directed by Huma Khalil, which revisited the golden era of Indian cinema through old melodies and songs shaped by the poetry of some of the most celebrated Urdu poets. Blending live music, dance, narration and immersive visuals, the production brought to life the poetry and musical compositions that became part of the cultural memory of generations of Indian audiences.
Together, the two performances offered audiences a glimpse into the breadth of Urdu’s artistic expression, from Sufi poetry and music to the poetry of Hindi cinema, while creating a space for audiences familiar with the language as well as those discovering it through performance.
Speaking about the Canadian debut, Sanjiv Saraf, Founder, Rekhta Foundation, said, “Shaam-e-Rekhta has always been about taking Urdu beyond the written word and allowing people to experience its poetry, music and stories together. Bringing the production to Canada was a natural extension of that idea. It was wonderful to see audiences come together around an art form that carries such a deep connection with South Asian memory and expression.”
The Canadian presentation marked another step in Rekhta International Cultural Events’ efforts to take Urdu literature and its associated performing arts to audiences beyond the Indian subcontinent. With a growing South Asian community in the Greater Toronto Area, the event also provided a platform for audiences to reconnect with familiar literary and musical traditions while introducing them to a wider audience.
The event was powered by Eyes Be a Child, with Y Media as the Official Media Partner.
