Mahira Khan and Fatima Bhutto made for a powerful team at the National Theater in London, where Fatima was invited for a conversation by Gary Younge, editor-at-large at The Guardian.
Mahira lit up the stage with her eloquent reading of Fatima’s latest literary success, The Runaways. According to journalist Mohsin Sayeed, this makes her the first Pakistani actor ever to perform at the National Theater.
Courtesy: Mohsin Sayeed
Earlier in the evening, while engaging in a discussion about the rise in nationalist rhetoric around the globe, radicalization, and extremism, important points were made about what it means to be a citizen in the current times. With Fatima’s literary works being heavily influenced by politics at large, it is no surprise that she was was invited for this debate. Conversation also shifted towards media; from Turkish television to Bollywood’s fixation with being fair.
Courtesy: Mohsin Sayeed
Fatima’s explosive book, The Runaways, is centered around topics that are extremely relevant today such as immigration, power dynamics, identity crisis, and radicalization etc. Told through the lens of her complex characters that are intricate and carefully created, the book follows the journey of three people in completely different settings, who undergo immense personal turmoils.
