Urdu playwright Dr Dennis Isaac dies in Canada

Dr Dennis Isaac, a renowned Urdu PTV playwright, died in a Canada hospital on Thursday night, said sources close to his family in Peshawar.

Literary and cultural organisations expressed sorrow and grief over the 71-year-old’s death and sympathised with his family.

Dr Isaac was born on Jan 11, 1950, in Peshawar city, graduated from the Khyber Medical College Peshawar and served as a radiologist in the Lady Readying Hospital Peshawar for over 25 years before emigrating to Canada along with his family in 2000.

He had earned reputation as a renewed Urdu PTV playwright and poet before immigrating to Canada as he was born with a penchant for literary creativity and had varied tastes, including poetry, fiction and music.

The playwright used to take part in literary activities around Peshawar city.

Though a medical doctor, he was affiliated with literary bodies, including Halqa-i-Arbab Zauq, Peshawar, Khabr-o-Nazar Peshawar and Peshawar Christian Literary Society.

Dr Issac received several awards, including Hazara Arts Council in 1985, PTV Award for Excellence in 1978 and 1979, Best Screenplay Writer National Award in 1979, Pakistan Christian Arts Council in 1995, Kashmiri Literary Award in 1996, Joshua Fazaldin Award in 1996, PTV Golden Jubilee Medal in 1997 and Bazme Fanoos Award Canada in 2010.

The list of his best plays and creative works includes Barish, Duraha, Karobi, Karb, and Salakhian and a few memorable episodes for PTV Islamabad Urdu play ‘Guest House’ followed by his last project for PTV Peshawar centre ‘Thori See Zindagi’, a popular Urdu serial directed by Tariq Saeed.

Also, he wrote screenplay and story line for Urdu feature film, Inteha, produced and directed by noted artist Samina Peerzada.

According to Prof Nasir Ali Syed, Dr Isaac had suffered from multiple health issues and had been under treatment for serious problems, including dementia, for the last few weeks.

He breathed his last late Thursday in a Canada health facility.

His great literary contribution was the Urdu translation of a French classic adventure novel ‘Around the world in eighty days’ by Jules Verne.

Originally published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2022