Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak on Ghalib and Urdu Diction | Guftugu Live at Jashn-e-Rekhta

Guftugu with Naseeruddin Shah & Ratna Pathak on Why Urdu is Dying in Cinema | Live at Jashn-e-Rekhta . Urdu in Bollywood feels quieter today. In this Guftugu conversation, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah join author and literary critic Saif Mahmood to talk about what changed, and what we lose with it. Naseeruddin shares his journey from Aligarh to playing Mirza Ghalib. He laughs about first using poetry to impress a girlfriend, then finding its real depth. Ratna speaks about learning Urdu diction for theatre, and why writers like Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto still feel modern. They also critique today’s cinema. Realism that often sounds mumbled, and titles that no longer carry a poetic ring. The chat moves through India’s salad bowl of languages and ends with a live recital of Ghalib’s humorous petition to a king. . Chapters: 00:00:00 Urdu first. Teach kids beauty of language 00:01:06 Host opens. Delhi welcomes Ratna. Naseer 00:02:00 Naseer on Delhi. Urdu as a shared heartbeat 00:03:34 Naseer’s Urdu return. Aligarh. Ghalib begins 00:06:43 Ratna learns Urdu. IPTA to NSD. Ismat work 00:09:38 Home rehearsals. Poetry jokes. Work ethic 00:10:46 Diction in films. Correct speech before “realism” 00:14:28 Mixing languages is natural. Urdu as “salad bowl” 00:16:29 Film language decline. Where did tehzeeb go? 00:19:14 Ghalib role story. 1974 letter to Gulzar 00:23:45 Ghalib series hindsight. Meter, truth, archives 00:27:09 Naseer recites Ghalib’s pension petition to Zafar 00:34:06 Ratna on Ismat. Manto. Modern. Non-sentimental 00:37:43 Working with Naseer as director. Creative fights 00:39:05 Why reading matters. Limits of weak translations 00:41:14 Memoir language. “I think in Urdu,” says Naseer 00:42:38 Ratna defends translations. Access to world lit 00:43:52 What good humour needs. Craft, writing, freedom 00:46:50 Stereotypes in cinema. “Muslim social” harms Urdu 00:48:37 “Bollywood” bubble. Substance vs global cinema 00:50:27 Faiz recitation. “Subh-e-Azadi” feels current 00:54:32 Keeping Urdu alive. Self-education and community 00:57:11 Start now. Make theatre without budgets or waiting 00:58:22 Faiz “Intesaab” dedication. For the unheard 01:03:56 Closing. Urdu lives with love. Rekhta finale . About Jashn-e-Rekhta Jashn-e-Rekhta is the world’s largest cultural festival celebrating the beauty, depth, and living spirit of the Urdu language. Held annually, it brings together poets, musicians, writers, thinkers, and artists from across the world to create a space of poetry, music, conversations, and storytelling. From soul-stirring mushairas and spellbinding musical evenings to intimate dialogues and immersive cultural experiences, the festival is where language turns into emotion and heritage finds a contemporary voice. More than a festival, Jashn-e-Rekhta is a movement that keeps Urdu alive, relevant, and deeply connected across generations. . #naseeeruddinshah #ratnapathakshah #urdu #bollywood #jashnerekhta #mirzaghalib #aligarh #urdushayari #manto #indiancinema . About Rekhta Foundation: Rekhta Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation committed to preserving, promoting, and celebrating the Urdu language and its rich literary and cultural legacy. Through digital archives, learning platforms, publications, festivals, and community initiatives, the Foundation works to make Urdu accessible and meaningful for audiences worldwide. By bridging classical traditions with modern platforms and voices, Rekhta Foundation ensures that the language continues to inspire, connect, and evolve with time. . IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE © Rekhta Foundation. All rights reserved. Unauthorised downloading, clipping, re-uploading, or reuse of this content (audio/video/visuals) is strictly prohibited without written permission. . External Links: Website: https://rekhta.org/ Instagram:   / jashnerekhtaofficial   Rekhta Books: https://rekhtabooks.com/ Rekhta Learning: https://rekhtalearning.com/-