It was a joy to be a part of a lyrical, poetic, and deeply romantic story: Shahbaz Khan

DaaghDehlvi, the pupil of poet laureate Mohammad Ibrahim Zauq, began writing poetry at the age of 10 and went on to master the 'ghazal'. His romantic poetry continues to resonate with new generations as does his story which has now been brought to life in Zee Theatre's teleplay, ‘Daag-O-Hijaab.' Well-known actor Shahbaz Khan who has essayed many historical characters including Hyder Ali, Prithviraj Chauhan, and Akbar was delighted when he was offered the chance to play the legendary poet.

Khan's father was iconic classical vocalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Ustad Amir Khan and he was instantly drawn to the musical tenor of the teleplay. As he says, I come from a rich cultural background and am deeply interested in music and poetry. This role seemed like the perfect fit and it was a joy to be a part of a lyrical, poetic, and deeply romantic story.

'Daag-O-Hijaab' is a musical revolving around Daagh's forbidden passion for a courtesan Munni Bai and Khan says, The play is written so beautifully and reveals so many unknown facets of Daagh's life. I enjoyed playing him and discovering what made him so extraordinary as a poet and a man willing to defy any barriers to be with his beloved.

This was also the first time Khan worked in a teleplay and he says, It was an invigorating experience to perform in a genre that challenges the normative way of shooting content for the small screen. I am also happy that the teleplay will remind audiences of a stalwart poet like Daagh whose thoughts on life and love still ring true.

The teleplay is directed by Satyendra Chauhan and also stars Payal Goga Kapoor, Sufi Sayyad, Hemant Soni, Satyendra Chauhan, Dipti Rajvanshi and Mithilesh Chaturvedi. Watch it on Airtel Spotlight, Dish TV Rangmanch Active and D2H Rangmanch Active on Feb 27th.