Shabash Anarkali

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Shabash Anarkali (शाबाश अनारकली, شاباش انارکلی) is a Hindustani parody of the historical romance of Saleem and Anarkali set during the Mughal period in India. The play was written by Surinder Gulati, directed by Nadira Babbar (and others), and staged throughout India as well as on Doordarshan (Indian state television) in the late 1970s.{{Citation | title=Magazine: Mumbai | date=2003-05-11 | access-date = 2010-07-12 | url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2003/05/11/stories/2003051100400500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106070232/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2003/05/11/stories/2003051100400500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2012-11-06 | newspaper=The Hindu | quote=Snippet: ... Prithvi hosts two performances of Nadeera Babbar's "Shabash Anarkali" ...}}{{Citation | title=Shabash Anarkali | newspaper=Mumbai Theatre Guide | access-date = 2010-07-12 | url=http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/hindi/sa.asp | quote=Snippet: ... Shabash Anarkali is a parody of the romantic love story of Saleem and Anarkali. The writer Surinder Gulati has painted a clumsy, innocent and manly picture of Anarkali, who falls in love with Prince Saleem ...}}{{Citation | title=Urdu Theatre: Kal aur Aaj | author=Makhmur Saeedi, Anis Azmi| publisher=Urdu Akadmi (Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd), Delhi | year=2006 | isbn=978-81-8197-006-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-j7tZKN_QEC | quote=Snippet: ... ड्रामा का उनवान: शाबाश अनारकली, ड्रामानिगार: सुरेन्द्र गुलाटी, हिदायतकार: दीनानाथ (Drāmā kā unwān: Shābāsh Anārkali, Drāmānigār: Surendra Gulāti, Hidāyatkār: Dinānāth) ...}}

Although it aired on state-run television, the play came in for some criticism in the Parliament of India because it allegedly made disrespectful fun of Emperor Akbar, "a great and respected leader of this nation of ancient times."{{Citation | title=Lok Sabha debates | publisher=Lok Sabha Secretariat, Parliament of India | year=1978 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Emg3AAAAIAAJ | quote=Snippet: ... Secondly, as far as programming is concerned, will Government take care to see that programmes like 'Shabash Anarkali' where a great and respected leader of this nation of ancient times, viz., Akbar, ...}} The play has received popular and critical acclaim since it first began to be staged.{{Citation | title=मुंबई के लेज़ियम व लावणी नृत्य ने किया सम्मोहित | newspaper=Dainik Jagran | access-date = 2010-07-12 | url=http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/local/punjab/4_2_5898123.html | quote=Snippet: ... वहीं जयपुर की टीम ने कॉमेडी नाटक 'शाबाश अनारकली' पेश की । इस नाटक ने दर्शकों को हंसा-हंसा कर लोटपोट कर दिया। दर्शकों ने इस नाटक को जमकर सराहा। (Jaipur's team performed the comedy drama 'Shabash Anarkali'. This play had the audience in splits. The audience delivered a standing ovation to the performers ...}}