Special Correspondent
DUBAI (UAE): Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai’s (BeU) Annual Event Mehfil-e-Urdu 2023 was a spectacularly unique extravaganza bringing the year to a memorable close.
Dedicated to the iconic Meena Kumari, the event commenced with a vibrant audience, turning the venue into a full house upon opening. Muskan Syed Riaz kicked off the proceedings with a warm welcome and an engaging Urdu quiz, setting the tone for the evening.
Saima Naqvi, hosted the event, while Rehan Khan, the General Secretary, shared Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai’s vision.
The prestigious Josh e Urdu Award was presented to Janab Waseem Bareilvi, in a ceremony held in Lucknow due to his travel constraints.
Janab Shakeel Khan, President, Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai and Dr. Bu Abdullah, the Guest of Honor and Member Board of Directors of BeU extended greetings to everyone and specially welcomed the distinguished guests, Sania Saeed, Sachin Pilgaonkar, and Kamna Prasad. The Alamdar-e-Urdu Award 2023 was then presented to Mohtarma Kamna Prasad, who then addressed the audience with awe-inspiring words.
The event also featured the launch of Bazm e Urdu Dubai’s annual magazine.
The next segment ‘Rubaru,’ was captivating discussion between Sania Saeed and Sachin Pilgaonkar about incidents from Meena Kumari’s life was insightful and inspiring.
The highlight of the event was one of Dr. Sayeed Alam’s masterpieces, the play ‘Meena Kumari,’ with Tarannum Ahmed delivering a mesmerizing performance in the lead role. Accompanied by the talented Kathak artist Anupama Kaushik and a team of musicians led by Mehran Shah, the play brought Meena Kumari’s ghazals to life, leaving the audience enchanted.
The grand finale was met with resounding applause, echoing an unforgettable evening in the auditorium of Emirates International School, Dubai, destined to be etched in the city’s memory.