Much like the revival of interest in Urdu learning, storytelling and poetry in the city, there is a renewed zest with which the writings of Sadat Hasan Manto are being seen in contemporary light. Perhaps it's got to do with Nandita Das's film, or that when a writer is ahead of his time, it takes a while for the rest of the society to catch up, or that the relevance of great writing never ebbs with time. Or a combination of it. And yet, so vast was Manto's oeuvre that while some writings often make their way to the stage, some remain buried in the pages of his collected works.

Two of his radio plays have now been adapted for the stage by Kirdaar Art Academy for a series of seven new productions that will be staged through June, starting this Sunday. The funny character of Chacha Chakkan created by renowned Urdu dramatist Imtiaz Ali Taj — whose play Anarkali was adapted for K Asif's hugely successful film — will be the other set of plays in the series.