Reviving classical tragedy in a theatrical landscape currently dominated by light commercial comedy, the Government College Dramatic Club (GCDC) this year staged Agha Hashar Kashmiri’s Rustom-o-Sohrab.

This is the 135th Annual Play of GCU Dramatics, a club with a rich historic legacy. Formally established around 1890, it began by staging selections from Shakespeare and has since nurtured generations of eminent actors, playwrights, and literary stalwarts who have shaped South Asian theatre and television.

Rustom-o-Sohrab, running at the university's Bukhari Auditorium, represents a fearless commitment to challenging, literary theatre.

Directed by Umer Darr, the century-old Urdu classic is based on Ferdowsi’s Persian epic, Shahnameh. The play tackles Agha Kashmiri’s complex and ornate poetic script to explore profound themes of love, duty, destiny, and the tragic conflict of blood ties.

Drawing a capacity crowd on four consecutive nights, the ambitious production proved that there is still a strong audience appetite for serious classical drama. A 40-member student cast anchors the heavy narrative. The immense scale of the production was marked by bold creative choices, including bringing a live horse onto the stage to heighten the epic realism.

Impeccable lighting design and exact, historically relevant costumes complemented the setting. These technical and artistic feats were entirely managed by students and faculty, with guidance from senior alumni where needed.

Ahmad Mughal stars as the titular Rustom, opposite Umar Farooq as his ill-fated son, Sohrab, and Saira Iftikhar as Tehmina. The extensive ensemble features standout performances from Zeeshan Hidayat in the dual roles of Shah Afrasiyab and Hajeer, Dilshad Haider as Shah Samanghan, Salman Asgher as Shah Qaikaous, and Meliha Zubair as Gurd Afreed.

Behind the scenes, the production is entirely driven by student craftsmanship. The intricate sets and props were custom-built by an art team led by Meheryar Zulfiqar, Manahil Israr, Syed Aun Abbas, and Hamna Siddiqui, with support from Hira and Zainab Irfan.

A large number of eminent Old Ravians were also invited to witness the play. They highly appreciated the performance, noting that GCDC continues to brilliantly uphold the intellectual and cultural traditions of the institution.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof. Omer Chaudhry said theatre is a critical intellectual pursuit, and staging such a complex, profound tragedy requires immense courage and discipline. “Our students have flawlessly brought classical literature to life tonight, proving once again that GCU remains a premier cradle of art, culture, and creative excellence in the country,” he concluded.

A special show of the play for the University faculty will be staged today on Monday.