Habib Tanvir: Memoirs

Habib Tanvir was one of Asia’s noted theatre directors. In these memoirs which have been translated from the Urdu, he presents the public and private aspects of his life. He takes the readers on a journey through his life, from his childhood in Raipur to the Bombay film world of the 1940s and then to the Indian People’s Theatre Association. He discusses his family and childhood life, friends, actors and others with an insightful and observant perspective. He provides glimpses into his professional life and the skills and techniques of the theatre art and the many experiences from which he learnt. He deals in detail with his Naya Theatre whose appeal lay in its simplicity, the virtuosity of its actors, the candour of its dialogues, the universalism of its scenarios and its humour.