Naach Na Jaane by Kopykats Productions, Anwar Maqsood’s prequel to his well-loved Aangan Terha currently being staged in Karachi, starts off with the original drama’s soundtrack played out.
There are pigeons fluttering in cages set on a makeshift terrace, a wooden takht with a gao takiya rolled on to it, round wicker chairs and a small kitchenette in a corner. It’s an immediate nostalgic throwback to the classic drama from the ‘80s.
You almost expect Shakil to suddenly come and recline bemusedly, dodging the commentaries of his acerbic wife, played by Bushra Ansari. You almost expect the late Salim Nasir to flit amongst them, playing the coquettish Akbar to the hilt.
The original Aangan Terha boasted a stellar cast but Akbar was always the showstopper, serving out hilarious one-liners with a sardonic raised eyebrow, politically incorrect to the core, one of local drama’s most iconic characters. Salim Nasir can no longer come on stage – but actor Yasir Hussain does.