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Review: Which Pakistani can’t relate to Almitra Mavalvala’s Blacklisted?

Review: Which Pakistani can’t relate to Almitra Mavalvala’s Blacklisted?

The one-woman musical will make you laugh and move you to tears.
25 Jan, 2025

“If there are any foreign embassy officials in the audience, your exits are there, there and there,” Almitra Mavalvala said on stage, pointing her arms outwards, then to the sides before flipping the crowd off with the last “there”.

Mavalvala brought her one-woman musical, Blacklisted, to Karachi’s District 19 on Friday and, to put it briefly, she was nothing short of a revelation.

Through a deftly woven narrative spanning the course of an hour, Mavalvala tackled themes that hit close to home for many Pakistanis — the frustrations of a little green booklet that seems to fail you at every turn, a staggering number of visa rejections, the feelings of not belonging, and the bittersweet pull of the paths that lead you back to your roots.

The stage was embellished with all things Pakistan — a plush red rug, a lantern decorated with truck art, painted lamps that emitted a soft glow adding to the cosy vibe, Sindhi ajrak thrown over a trunk — after all, the play was an ode to home and home for Mavalvala has always been Karachi.

However, what caught my eye were the personal details tucked into the set — printouts of visa rejections nestled under the edges of the carpet and a picture of Mavalvala and her nani in a white frame that she adorned with a garland of marigolds during the show.

There’s something profoundly evocative when an artist lays their life bare, inviting the audience into their most vulnerable moments. Mavalvala’s audience was utterly captivated as they laughed at her childhood antics, and sat with bated breath as she recounted being “blacklisted but not really” before ultimately deciding to return home.

Not a single minute was wasted, and not a minute did the audience’s attention waver from her; a testament to not only her sharp wit but her talent as a storyteller. Mavalvala smoothly transitioned from one topic to the other, detailing her life events while simultaneously commanding the entire room’s attention with her powerful vocals and cheeky repartee.

The entire experience was elevated by the use of various media forms — the lights transformed to a deep blue as she was hit with another slew of bad news; an automated, Canadian-sounding voice (like an all-powerful overlord) announcing her visa rejection, and a live band playing alongside heightening the emotional impact of every scene. Mavalvala herself also played the guitar on stage, creating a more intimate atmosphere as she sat cross-legged in front of the audience and sang about home.

The entire show was phenomenal.

As an audience member, I was roaring with laughter when she talked about bullying her brother, I was moved to near tears when she spoke of her grandmother passing away and I found myself nodding fervently when she said, “No one is free until Falasteen [Palestine] is free”.

What Mavalvala did, rather expertly, was tap into the everyday feelings of Pakistanis — feelings of fear, hope, rejection — and in doing so she created a performance that felt deeply relatable, while still being unapologetically authentic to her lived experiences.

If there’s one local performance you watch this month (or the next), let it be Almitra Mavalvala’s Blacklisted.

Blacklisted is being staged at District 19 from January 23 to 26 and will be performed at The Colony in Lahore from January 31 to February 2. The play is written by Mavalvala, and directed by Jessica Fallico in association with resident director Amtul Baweja.

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jan 25, 2025 06:07pm
Excellent.
Recommend
Ehsan Jan 25, 2025 08:31pm
Sounds interesting
Recommend
nuts Jan 25, 2025 11:30pm
fab
Recommend
Tannaz Minwalla Jan 26, 2025 12:44am
Fabulous show Almitra. All came together superbly with a touch of humour, emotional depth and the frustration so well communicated of every young person's frustration of being trapped and dreams haulted and haunted. And being cast into stamps of entry due to our green passport restrictions. The story had many little angles and depth. And expressed every moms want for there kids to get out to get a life. And then the return. Almitras vocal expressions in song and the tone tempo of voice came thru with different feelings of depth, energy and a nurturing softness where needed for her script. And bravo to the in and out between both urdu and English. That for a Parsee is an achievement as we're known for our pathetic just pass urdu minglish. And the touch of interaction with the audience made one feel very special too. The band of three were amazing. Well synchronised with both fusion of East and Western music which blended beautifully with your words and made the evening special. But at some points your voice over was too loud . So understanding was a little difficult. As I was hanging on to every word with depth of your story. The set up the props your out fit the lighting was all amazing. And yes not forgetting the chai. Your nani is smiling down on you feeling very important that her kiddo has always remembered her well. The place was cool modern and interesting District 19. So much to discover in Karachi. Loved the set up. And the young man running it so interesting too. Wishing you and the team every future success.
Recommend
Gulabo Jan 26, 2025 12:22pm
Bakwas
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Deepak Mirchandani Jan 27, 2025 11:51am
Sounds brilliant - you guys do come up with the best plays
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