Remembered till date

A trip down the memory lane with Babban Khan, the man behind this most popular Hyderabadi humorous play

    A scene from the play


Baba aaye, baba aaye..
Arey chup. Main daftar se aaroon, jail se thodi aaroon.

Who doesn’t remember these famous lines! They echoed for the last time on February 11, 2001, when curtains finally came down on Adrak ke Panje, the longest run one-man-show. For sheer numbers this Hyderabadi rib-tickler has no match: 10,000 shows, 60 countries, 27 different languages, 35 long years.

It left far behind Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and the Broadway musical A Chorus Line, which closed down after performing for several years. Adrak ke Panje played from September, 22, 1965, to February, 11, 2001 – notching up an unbeatable record.

What’s more, this two-and-a-half-hour show needed just 17 minutes for stage-setting and 10 minutes for removal. There is no lighting effect, no music. And the stage property cost just Rs 650. English stage actor, Rex Harrison, who produced the play My Fair lady, was surprised that the setup cost so little.

The most surprising thing is that during its long run there was no change or update in the script, dialogues, sequences, costumes and sets. Even the black shredded sherwani, the umbrella and the tiffin carrier, which the principal character Ramtoo carried, remained the same.

From the streets of Hyderabad to the best theatres and music halls of China, America, Russia, Rome, Tokyo, Spain, London, France, Germany, Sydney, Egypt, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Stockholm, Argentina, and Greece, Adrak Ke Panje played to packed houses. It got an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1984 edition under the stop press column when it had notched up 5,169 performances.

It also won accolades from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, Hollywood, the Noble Foundation, Stockholm, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, Office of President of USA, National Press Club, Washington.

Dignitaries and celebrities who congratulated Babban Khan, the actor-playwright, include the likes of Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela ,Queen Elizabeth, Indira Gandhi, bestselling author, Frederick Forsyth, Hollywood filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola of Godfather fame and several Indian Presidents.

Babban Khan struck gold with his first play. He named it Adrak Ke Panje to denote ginger roots growing in all directions just like an unplanned family. The show, which revolves around Ramtoo (Babban Khan), Bi Pasha (wife, Shaila Khan) and eight children, brings to light the harsh realities of a large family. In the process, the drama also focuses upon the ill-effects of drugs, pollution and dowry.

Didn’t he feel bored performing the same play for so long? “No, never. It has become part of my life,” says Babban Khan, whose wife, Shaila, and daughters – Nazneen and Zareen – also formed part of the cast. What’s the secret of the play’s continued appeal? The universal issue of family planning it addresses and Babban Khan’s foresight in highlighting the consequences of an unplanned family long before it became a problem. Of course, the punchy Deccani one-liners and the way they are articulated are also a major reason for its super success.

This comedy is actually born out of tragedy. The satirical play mirrors the trials and tribulations faced by the writer’s parents because of their large family. His father, Ghouse Khan, a lowly paid clerk in the Fire Service Department, was caught in such financial straits that one after another he lost his three sons and four daughters to malnutrition and lack of medical care. Shocked by these sad events, the only surviving child was not given a name till the age of 10, lest death claimed him too.

They just called the boy ‘Babban’, not knowing that this name would bring them luck and fame beyond their wildest dreams. Young Babban never forgot the hungry days, the sleepless nights, the tears and troubles. He still remembers the problem faced by his parents in paying the rent of Rs 1.75 paise for the House No 24 at Charkhandil in Aghapura.

It was on August 15, 1965 that Babban Khan sat down to write the magnum opus under a street light since there was no electricity at his house. His own family life and personal experiences came in handy to write the play. It took him a little more than three hours to script Adrak Ke Panje, which changed his life forever.

When the play was ready, he had no money to stage it. He sold the gold pendant of his mother, Sughraunissa Begum, for Rs 275. Out of this amount, Rs 200 went towards booking the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium, Rs 18 for sherwani cloth, Rs 2.50 for umbrella, Rs 30 for printing tickets and with the remaining money, he bought ration for his house. There was no money to pay the tailor. He was instead given a free pass for the show. For 15 years, Babban Khan’s mother thought he was doing some business. When she watched the show, she couldn’t understand what her son was doing to make people laugh.

When the first show was staged on September 22, 1965, Babban Khan was a bundle of nerves. Though financially it was a flop, the audience enjoyed it thoroughly. Encouraged, he borrowed Rs 500 from friends and presented a second show at the same auditorium. This time, it was a roaring success. The rest, as they say, is history.

Like the classic dialogues of the blockbuster, Sholay, the dialogues of Adrak Ke Panje have become timeless. Sample translation of some famous lines:

Jockey (neighbour): There should be a limit to your children’s nuisance.
Babban Khan: Children do make a noise. But, why you take it so seriously?
Jockey: What do you mean? The other day I was sitting along with my dog. Knowing full well that I am with my dog, your son threw a stone injuring it seriously.
Babban Khan: I am sorry. Perhaps the boy missed his target.
….
Money lender: As I was coming to your house, a motorist almost hit me. But for a split second’s delay, I would have died.
Babban Khan: I really feel sorry for that split second’s delay.
…..
School Master: Leave alone English and Mathematics, when I asked your son to draw the picture of an owl he couldn’t.
Babban Khan: You can’t draw the picture of an owl?
Son: Yes, father.
Babban Khan: (Pointing towards the school master): Can’t you just see and draw?
….
In one of his fonder moods, Babban Khan buys a jar of cold cream for his wife. She protests, “Is this the age for me to apply cold cream?” To this, Babban Khan replies, “My dear, only when a shoe becomes old, does it require some polishing.”

These tongue-in-cheek remarks have become part of Hyderabadi lore. They combine both logic and laughter. Audience reaction to the play has varied over the years. Some giggled, some laughed and a few turned teary eyed at the sad situations from which humour is drawn. Ramtoo’s house in the play is a picture of chaos. Empty pots and pans, broken chairs, wall clock, oil tins, lantern and an empty bird cage.

Amidst this clutter, Ramtoo, an improvised clerk, takes pot-shots at life. His wife has a litany of complaints – children’s school fees, dues of milk man, grocery and house rent. There are also an unending stream of angry creditors, guests and eccentric relations to contend with. However, an unperturbed Ramtoo takes all this in his stride. He keeps the audience in splits with his clever comments and sustains the show singlehandedly.

For Babban Khan, comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. He has come out with two more scripts – Adrak ke Panje Part II and Gumbat Ke Kabootar on corruption and pollution. Will they be funny as well? Only time will tell.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Telangana Today

Dated October 6,2019