KARACHI:
A theatrical production exploring the life, transformation and spiritual journey of the renowned Sufi poet Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was presented at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), offering audiences a rare stage interpretation of one of history’s most influential mystics.
Titled Rumi: Unveiling of the Sun, the play, written by Amrit Kent and directed by Shahnawaz Bhatti, was staged at the Zia Mohiuddin Theatre on Saturday. The production focused on the profound relationship between Rumi and the wandering dervish Hazrat Shamsuddin Tabrezi, a meeting widely regarded as a turning point in Rumi’s life and thought.
The narrative depicted the intellectual and spiritual conflict between the two figures and how Shams’ influence reshaped Rumi’s philosophy, poetry and understanding of divine love. Through dialogue, music and movement, the play portrayed Rumi’s transformation from a celebrated scholar into a spiritual figure whose teachings continue to resonate across cultures.
Director Shahnawaz Bhatti, speaking to The Express Tribune, said the play focuses on the transformative encounter between Maulana Rumi and Shams Tabrez, describing it as a moment that reshaped Rumi’s understanding of knowledge, spirituality and love.
He said the production attempts to show how art, music and movement in the Sufi tradition become forms of devotion, guiding individuals towards inner peace and harmony.
Considered the first stage production written specifically on the life of Maulana Rumi, the play was well received by audiences. Performances by Mujtaba Zaidi, Sarfaraz Ali and Zubair Baloch drew particular appreciation for their portrayal of emotionally complex characters.
The production also reflected the enduring relevance of Rumi’s message, presenting spirituality not only as a religious experience but as a universal search for love, connection and self-discovery.
Rumi was born to Persian parents, in Wakhsh, a village on the East bank of the Wakhsh River known as Sangtuda in present-day Tajikistan. The area, culturally adjacent to Balkh, is where Mawlânâ’s father, Bahâ’ uddîn Walad, was a preacher and jurist. He lived and worked there until 1212, when Rumi was aged around five and the family moved to Samarkand.
Greater Balkh was at that time a major centre of Persian culture and Sufism had developed there for several centuries. The most important influences upon Rumi, besides his father, were the Persian poets Attar and Sanai. Rumi expresses his appreciation: “Attar was the spirit, Sanai his eyes twain, And in time thereafter, Came we in their train” and mentions in another poem: “Attar has traversed the seven cities of Love, We are still at the turn of one street”. His father was also connected to the spiritual lineage of Najm al-Din Kubra.
