S.M. Mehdi (c. 1921 – January 2015) was an Indian Urdu playwright, journalist, Marxist thinker, and cultural commentator. Known for his experimental theatre and politically engaged writing, Mehdi was a significant figure in post-independence progressive Urdu literature. His works reflect themes of identity, social justice, and literary history, often blending Brechtian technique with classical Indo-Islamic storytelling traditions.
[1]
[2]
[3]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Born in Barabanki zamindar (landlord) family, Mehdi completed his early education in Mustafabad, Bhopal. Mehdi was a student leader in Kanpur for BA and Lucknow for MA and actively involved with the Communist party.[4] He later studied law and political science in Lucknow, where he became involved in student activism and aligned with leftist and communist ideologies.[5][6]
He worked with the Urdu cell of the Communist party in Mumbai alongside Sajjad Zaheer,[4] and was for his belief in the "fellowship of man".[7][8] This is where he got involved in IPTA & met some great minds in writing, poetry.[9]
Mehdi also worked for two decades as Urdu correspondent for the Soviet Embassy in Delhi from the 1960s until 1990.[10]
He was married to Zahra Begum who preceded him in death by a few weeks. Their granddaughter Taran is an active documentary maker.[11]
Literary and artistic contributions[edit | edit source]
Mehdi wrote numerous plays and translated dramas into Urdu.[4] He was a prolific writer for television, including shows focusing on India's composite culture.[4][12] Mehdi was also a scholar of the Urdu poets Ghalib and Iqbal.[4][8] He was later associated with the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).[8]
His works include Chand Tasviren, Chand Khutut (A Few Pictures, A Few Letters), Maamujaan ki Diary (DD Television show).[13][14][15]
Mehdi's work drew inspiration from various traditions, including Brechtian theatre and the oral narrative styles of Tulsidas and Mir Babar Ali Anis.[8][16][17][18][19][20]
Mehdi was a contemporary of the poet Kaifi Azmi,[7] and is mentioned in relation to his grandchildren who shared memories of him and his home.[21][22] Together they published weeklies Mahaz and Tahrik around the Independence Era from Mumbai (then Bombay).
Later life[edit | edit source]
Mehdi died in Aligarh in January 2015 at the age of 94 in his sleep.[4] His work, including his plays, translations, and writings, remains largely uncollected.[8][23][24][25][26][27]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Condolence meet held for playwright S M Mehdi at AMU". 21 January 2015.
- ↑ "India, whose love could have killed him". 13 February 2011.
- ↑ "Remembering Maamujan - S.M. Mehdi - South Asia Citizens Web".
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "SM Mehdi on Kaifi Azmi". 23 July 2016.
- ↑ "Hindi Writer S M Mehdi Biography, News, Photos, Videos". nettv4u.
- ↑ "The last of his generation | Art & Culture | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "SM Mehdi: A Life Less Ordinary – Jawed Naqvi". 7 January 2015.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "THE LAST OF HIS GENERATION: S.M. MEHDI : INSAF".
- ↑ "Voices of India's Partition, Part II: Mr. S.M. Mehdi". 5 December 2011.
- ↑ "Voices of India's Partition, Part II: Mr. S.M. Mehdi". repositories.lib.utexas.edu.
- ↑ "Hinduism Archives".
- ↑ "Theatre in Delhi touches all time low in creativity". India Today. 10 June 2014.
- ↑ "A night at the opera, courtesy Navrasa Duende". The Week.
- ↑ "Theatre in Delhi touches all time low in creativity". 10 June 2014.
- ↑ "Down Miller memory lane". www.telegraphindia.com.
- ↑ "SM Mehdi - on his own life". 15 January 2015 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Hindi Writer S M Mehdi Biography, News, Photos, Videos".
- ↑ "Allah and Krishna came together in the songs of this long-forgotten Awadhi singer". 26 November 2022.
- ↑ "SM Mehdi on the Awadhi folk singer Aseemun, and the composite Ganga-Jamuni culture of India - Part 2". YouTube. 19 June 2016.
- ↑ "Allah and Krishna Came Together in the Songs of This Long-Forgotten Awadhi Singer – Janata Weekly".
- ↑ "TARAN ON HER GRANDFATHER, S.M. MEHDI : INSAF".
- ↑ "Whiff of lost Lucknow 'khushboo' in old letters". The Times of India. 3 February 2019.
- ↑ "All writings of Syed Mohammad Mehdi". Rekhta.
- ↑ "Urdu Books of Syed Mohammad Mehdi".
- ↑ "Soz khwani: Songs of lament from the battle of Karbala". 8 June 2017.
- ↑ "Shaukat Azmi epitomised the finest qualities of progressive writers and artists". 26 November 2019.
- ↑ "Amber Abbas - Independent Researcher".
External links[edit | edit source]