After telling tales of fabled royalty in Begum Jaan earlier this year, the Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature in LUMS has returned with another play that promised as much fun and gloss. Yet, despite its catchy title, Clifton Say Ravi Tak left something to be desired.

Written and directed by Shariq Thara, a student of Humanities at the institution, who also famously plays one of the main leads, Clifton Say… was touted to be "the first musical ever" to be performed at LUMS. Besides, it was to be a tribute to Pakistan’s music and drama industry of the 1980s and ‘90s. But did the play achieve this? Not quite.

Set in the ‘90s, the play is the story of Aariz Merchant, the son of Aftab and Rukhsar Merchant, who is a musician with a broken heart. Defying his wealthy parents, he packs his bags and leaves his home in Karachi to study medicine in Lahore. Here, he puts up as a paying guest in the home of Ali Khan who is living with his wife, Sahira, daughter Scheherezade, and a housemaid named Kanta.

What follows is a typical plot. It just takes a few compliments at the disposal of Scheherezade to make Aariz successful in wooing her. Yogi, a friend, makes fun of her for losing her heart instantly. Scheherezade’s heart melts further when she comes upon Aariz’s diary.

The story then takes an unexpected turn when Ali Khan lands at Aftab Merchant’s. It is revealed that they are old friends. Soon they decide to marry off their children Aariz and Scheherezade.

All seems to be going according to plan till Scheherezade comes to know that her parents have set her up with a person she has never met (of course, it’s because Aariz’s name is not mentioned).

Even though it is laced with the popular Pakistani songs of yore, the play falls short of being an old-school feature film. Consider the wrist-cutting sequence, and Aariz giving his coat to Scheherezade when they are out and it starts raining. Well, a tribute to the ‘80s and ‘90s should have more to it than just this much.

Having seen Shariq Thara’s craftsmanship as actor and director in Begum Jaan, I was hoping this play to be anything but clichéd. Perhaps, Begum Jaan had set the bar a tad too high.

However, considering that many of the actors and actresses were performing for the first time on stage, their efforts should be commended. Ali Khan, played by Mohammad Ali Ansari, and Sahira (Noor-un-Nisa Shahid) were the saving graces of the play, as was Shariq Thara as Aariz.

Songs like ‘Chhap tilak’ and ‘Aaj janay ki zid na karo’ were a treat to watch, given nice choreography. In ‘Aa ja ni beja cycle tay,’ one’s eyes just gravitated towards Mahad Cheema, while the backup dancers needed some energy boost.

‘Clifton Say Ravi Tak’ shall have its concluding performance at LUMS on November 29, 2015.