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Mirza Adeeb:مرزا ادیب, PP, BA (Hon), (Urdu: مرزا ادیب—Mirzā Adīb; 4 April 1914 – 31 July 1999[2][1][3][4]), also known as Meerza Adeeb, (میرزا ادیب—Mīrzā Adīb),[4] was a Pakistani dramatist, playwright and short story writer who wrote in Urdu and Punjabi languages.[5] His plays and short stories won him six prizes and awards from the Pakistan Writers' Guild.[1]
Mirza Adeeb | |
|---|---|
 A portrait of Mirza Adeeb | |
| Native name | |
| Born | Mirza Dilawer 4 April 1914 Lahore, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan) |
| Died | 31 July 1999 (aged 85) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Pen name | Meerza Adeeb |
| Occupation | Dramatist or Playwright, Short story writer |
| Language | Punjabi, Urdu |
| Nationality | British Indian (1914–1947) Pakistani (1947–1999) |
| Citizenship | Pakistani |
| Education | B.A. (Hon.) |
| Alma mater |
|
| Period | Modern Era (Post-World War II) |
| Genre | Drama, short story |
| Subject | Verisimilitude, Realism and Romanticism |
| Literary movement | Progressive Movement Romanticist Movement |
| Notable works | Pas-i Pardah (1967), Caccā Coṉc |
| Notable awards |
|
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Mirza Adeeb's birth name was Mirza Dilawer Ali,[6][7] but he came to be known in the literary world as Mirza Adeeb. (Mirza denotes the rank of a high nobleman or Prince,[Note 1] and Adeeb means 'Litterateur').
He was born on 4 April 1914, in Lahore, British India to Mirza Basheer Ali.[2][1] He attended Government Islamia High School, Bhati Gate, Lahore. He got his Bachelor of Arts degree from Islamia College, Lahore. He initially focused on poetry, then devoted himself to playwriting.[1][6]
Plays
At first, being influenced by the Rūmānwī Tẹḥrīk—رومانوی تحریک (Urdu for 'The Romanticist Movement'), he wrote romantic prose.[8]
Later, he switched to writing plays about everyday events and incidents taking place in society, focusing more on social problems and common public issues. His later works were pragmatist and verisimilitudinous.[7] He used simple and everyday language in his plays, which enabled them to get a greater audience. Moreover, he had begun writing one-act dramas, which made them easier to broadcast over radio and television.[9][2] When he affiliated himself with Radio Pakistan, many of his plays were broadcast and they gained popularity among the masses. He is listed as a prominent Urdu playwright of the Modern Era.[9][2]
Other works
His main works, other than dramas, include stories and biographies.[9] He also wrote critical essays and commentaries on books, besides writing columns in newspapers. He was also influenced by the Taraqqī-Pasasnd Tẹḥrīk—ترقّی-پسند تحریک (Urdu for 'Progressive Movement').[9] He was also the editor of magazines, of which the most notable is Adab-e Laṭīf—ادبِ لطیف (Urdu for 'Humorous Literature'). He also translated some American stories to Urdu.[9]
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Following are the main features of Mirza Adeeb's style of writing:[9]
- Objectivity: His plays had a strong sense of objectivity in them.
- Riveting dialogues: The dialogues he chose were grounded, yet captivating. Each character spoke according to his/her social status and his dramas did not contain artificial, literary dialogues. His dialogues also contained witty repartees and striking replies.
- Versatility: His story lines include a variety of topics, taken from the prosaic lives on common people.
- Pragmatism: Rather than focusing on characterisation, as did many of his contemporaries, he focused more on events.
- Humanitarianism: His plays and stories have a humanitarian and philanthropic outlook.
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- His selective drama-collections are:
- Āⁿsū aur Sitārē, آنسو اور ستارے (Urdu for 'Tears and the Stars')[6]
- Lahū aur Qālīn, لہو اور قالین (Urdu for 'the Blood and the Carpet')[6]
- Šīšē kī Dīwār, شیشے کی دیوار (Urdu for 'the Wall of Glass')[6][10]
- Sutūn, ستون (Urdu for 'the Pillar')[6][11]
- Faṣīl-e Šab, فصیلِ شب (Urdu for 'Part of the Night')[1]
- m'Pas-e Pardah, پسِ پرده (Urdu for 'Beneath the Veil') (1967)[1][7]
- Xāk Našīn, خاک نشین (Urdu for 'the Earth Dwellers')[8] and
- Šīšah Mērē Saŋg, شیشہ میرے سنگ (Urdu for 'the Glass With Me')[6]
- His selective short-story collections are:[9]
- Jaŋgal, جنگل (Urdu for 'the Jungle')
- Dustak, دستک (Urdu for 'Knocking')
- Dīwārēⁿ, دیواریں (Urdu for 'the Walls')
- Kambal, کمبل (Urdu for 'the Blanket')
- Sharfoo Ki Kahani, شروف کی کہانی (Urdu for 'The Story of Nobel people')
- Wo Larki Kon Thi, وہ لڑکی کون تھی (Urdu for 'Who was that girl')
- His collection of personal biographies is:
- Nāxun kā Qarź, ناخن کا قرض (Urdu for 'the Debt of the Fingernail')[1]
- Miṫṫī kā Diyā, مٹّی کا دیا (Urdu for 'the Earthen Lamp') is his autobiography.[1][7][12]
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- Presidential Award for playwriting, 1969
- Pride of Performance Award for literature in 1981[13][1]
- His play, Pas-e Pardah (1967), won him the Ādamjī Adabī Ēwārḋ (آدم جی ادبی ایوارڈ—Adamjee Literary Award)[9] in 1968[1]
Mirza Adeeb died on 31 July 1999 in Lahore, Pakistan at age 85.[2]
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