Ganjay Farishtay

About Ganjay Farishtay

‘Ganjay Farishtay’ (Bald Angels) is a podcast series in Urdu based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s sketches and presented by broadcaster Pervaiz Alam. Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955), one of the greatest short-story writers in South Asia, published about 20 collections of short stories in Urdu. Being a multi-faceted author, he went on to write five collections of radio dramas, three of essays, two of sketches, one novel, and a number of stories and screenplays for Bombay’s Hindi film industry in the 1940s. Manto wrote brutally scathing sketches of some of his best friends, film stars and writers of his time, leading to several controversies and gossips. “Manto’s writing has a real-life feel to it, almost as though he is speaking to his readers and making his subjects come alive — warts and all. In the evocatively titled ‘Ganjay Farishtay’, he is not always laudatory about his subjects as, for instance, in the darkly witty sketch titled ‘Teen Golay’ about Miraji,” says Dr Rakhshanda Jalil, Writer, Translator and Literary Historian. Manto penned profiles of Ismat Chughtai, Ashok Kumar, Pari Chahra Nasim Bano, Noor Jahan, Miraji, Nargis, Agha Hashr Kashmiri and many others.

Publisher

Cineink

Category

arts

Language

ur

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Sept 2022

Latest episode

13 Nov 2022

Latest episodes

4 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Nov 2022

   EP 04: Noor Jehan by Saadat Hasan Manto

   The 4th episode of Cineink podcast series, Ganjay Farishtay, features legendary writer Saadat Hasan Manto's take on the renowned playback singer, Noor Jehan. Born in 1926, Allah Rakhi Wasai, who would be later known as Baby Noor Jehan and Malika-e-Tarannum Noor Jehan, sang more than 20,000 songs and acted in a number of super-hit films such as Khandaan (1942), Anmol Ghadi (1946) and Mirza Sahiban (1947). Noor Jehan’s repertoire includes several immortal songs such as Aawaz De Kahan Hai, Mere Bachpan Ke Saathi, Yahan Badla Wafa Ka, Jawan Hai Mohabbat, Aaja Meri Barbad Mohabbat and Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat Mere Mehboob Na Maang. She died in Pakistan on 23 December, 2000. ‘Ganjay Farishtay’ is a podcast series based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s sketches (Khaake), presented by broadcaster Pervaiz Alam.

2. 

   20 Oct 2022

   EP03: Ashok Kumar By Saadat Hasan Manto

   Great Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto was known to have a very close friendship with the legendary actor Ashok Kumar (1911 - 2001), aka Dadamoni, who played lead roles in films such as Jeevan Naiya, Kangan, Bandhan, Azad and Aath Din. Profiling him, Manto says, Ashok Kumar’s career took off the moment Najm-ul-Hassan, eloped with his co-star Devika Rani. Manto, in a rare moment of emotion, admits why and when he decided to leave for Pakistan at a time when he was a sought after screenwriter in the Bombay film industry. ‘Ganjay Farishtay’ (Bald Angels) is a Cine Ink podcast series in Urdu, based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s sketches, presented by broadcaster Pervaiz Alam.

3. 

   18 Sept 2022

   EP 02: Agha Hashr Kashmiri by Saadat Hasan Manto

   ‘Ganjay Farishtay’ is a podcast series based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s sketches and presented by broadcaster Pervaiz Alam. The second episode of the series features Agha Hashr Kashmiri. Known as the pioneer of Parsi Theatre in India, Agha Hashr Kashmiri (1879-1935) was a legendary dramatist, poet and screenwriter. Often called Shakespeare of India, Agha Hashr Kashmiri was the most sought after dramatist in his time, receiving the highest fee and drawing some of the biggest crowds to watch his productions such as Asir-e-Hirs, Bhagirath Ganga, Sita Banbas and Rustom o Sohrab. His play Yahudi Ki Ladki was made into a feature film by several directors, including a version in 1958 by Bimal Roy, featuring Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari and Sohrab Modi. Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) wrote both incisive and sometimes brutally scathing sketches of some of his contemporaries, film stars and writers of his time, leading to several controversies and gossips. There are two collections of Manto’s sketches, Khaake (خاکے / ख़ाके), entitled ‘Ganjay Farishtay’ and ‘Loudspeaker’.

4. 

   1 Sept 2022

   EP 01: Ismat Chughtai by Saadat Hasan Manto

   The legendary Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) wrote only one sketch before the partition of India in 1947. And, that was the profile of his contemporary and friend, Ismat Chughtai (21 August 1915 – 24 October 1991), who has been regarded as one of the most influential fiction writers in both India and Pakistan. Ismat became a sensation during Manto’s time with stories such as ‘Lihaaf’, ‘Puncture’, ’Daayen’, ‘Saas’, ‘Genda’, ‘Neera’, ‘Uff Ye Bacche’ and ’Til’. Her novel ‘Terhi Lakeer’, a semi-autobiographical tale of a fiery-spirited, middle-class Muslim girl bent on exploring the shape and nature of consuming desire, has been acknowledged a literary masterpiece Both Manto and Chughtai faced court cases on the charges of being obscene for explicitly exploring the themes of sexuality. Pervaiz Alam, who worked with All India Radio in Delhi and BBC Hindi/Urdu services in London, presents the podcast ‘Ganjay Farishtay’, produced by Cine Ink, UK.

Contact Ganjay Farishtay

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.