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If you find my stories obscene or dirty, then the society in which you live is obscene and dirty. My stories narrate only the truth.
The Early Days –
After failing to make an impression in school or college, Saadat Hasan Manto’s life reached a cross road of confusion and defiance. Already introduced to alcohol and some of the cruelties of life, he felt like a trapped soul wanting freedom.
The Freedom – 1933
At the age of 21 Manto met the man who would place the first stepping stone of his writing career, Abdul Bari Alig, an exegetical writer himself. Abdul Bari Alig saw Manto’s potential and his inner turmoil. He knew Manto would redefine literature one day. It was Abdul Bari Alig who suggested that he read Russian and French writers, soak in their miseries and their challenges. Manto did as he was told. He translated Victor Hugo’s ‘The Last Day of a Condemned Man’ into Urdu which was later published by his mentor.
Manto also translated one of the first plays of Oscar Wilde “Vera” which was based on the life of Vera Zasulich, a writer and a revolutionary. However, Manto’s first original work “Tamasha” was published in Urdu newspaper Khalq, owned by none other than Abdul Bari Alig.
These were the stepping stones in Manto’s short ( 1912 – 1955 ) but controversial life. Born in Ludhiana in East Punjab he later migrated to Lahore, West Punjab, after the Partition. Manto was never in favor of the division and openly vocal about it. This can be seen from the number of short stories written around the subject of partition. His other pet theme was women. Manto has written dozens of stories based on women, reflecting their positive virtues, individuals who are strong-willed, unrelenting in their speech and thoughts, and uncompromising when it comes to equality.
Manto’s Wedding – 1939
Manto looked at women with a prism of equality and this could also be seen in his married life. Safia, his wife was provided with unthinkable freedom. Manto even suggested that he be called by his first name. Countless short stories of Manto are based on prostitutes, and women of character and resilience, a subject he was obsessed with. Unlike other men who used them as tools of entertainment or cursed them as a scourge of mankind, Manto had a different opinion. He simply called them the wheels of economics. Critics considered his works obscene but many tend to forget that within this raunchy and repugnant narration he’d also bestowed on women several commendations; equality and freedom of thought being some of them.
Manto’s life complements the term “Roller Coaster” beautifully. From Lahore to Bombay and then back to Lahore after the partition, Manto saw different shades of life and its grotesque unfairness. He wrote for newspapers, magazines but every time he was either not appreciated, underpaid or exploited for the wrong reasons. Even as a screenwriter in Mumbai, he was often refused full payment which led to frequent binge drinking and even darker literary works.
Some of his prominent works include his second collection of short stories Manto Ke Afsanay ( 1940 ) followed by four radio plays, Aao, Manto ke Drame, Janaze and Teen Auraten ( 1941 – 1942 ). A large part of his work was mostly published from Lahore.
Manto spent the last 6 years prior to partition working in Bombay as a screenwriter. His closeness to Ashok Kumar offered him several projects, including Mirza Ghalib and he continued to write for various productions houses ( Producers ). In 1948 Manto migrated to Pakistan because his family was stuck up in Lahore. The carnage after the partition affected Manto badly. He penned down several short stories based on this event. Khol Do is one of the most painful literary works which revolves around the insanity and inhumanity prevalent during the period.
The Final Years –
Manto was charged for obscenity six times; half of them in India and the rest in Pakistan. After being warned by the Judge to stop writing lewd stories, Manto slipped into depression. Already a fan of alcohol he quickly sank deeper into it. He finally passed away in 1955 in Lahore due to liver cirrhosis.
Baiscope will cover Manto’s four short stories, most of which have been adapted into cinema and available on various platforms. These include – Thanda Gosht, Khol Do, Ulti Salwar & Kali Salwar. Check out this space for reviews and synopsis.