“Achu Nezebaaz:” Lahore theatre presents stage drama on Arshad Nadeem’s life

A local theatre in Lahore launched a stage drama titled “Achu Nezebaaz,” which delves into the life of Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem. 

The director of the play revealed that "Achu" is Nadeem's childhood nickname.

The play opened on August 23 at a Lahore theatre. “Achu Nezebaaz” centers on the life of javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who won Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal in 40 years.

The role of Arshad Nadeem is portrayed by Saqi Khan. The main cast also includes Afrin Khan, Feroza Ali, Reena Multani, Farah Khan, Razi Khan, and Aqeel Haider, with Muhammad Yusuf as the producer.

Director and writer of the play, Dr Ajmal Malik, said that few people were aware that Arshad Nadeem was known as Achu in his childhood.

He expressed his delight that the play is gaining immense popularity and breaking new records.

He explained that one of the objectives of creating a stage play about Arshad Nadeem was to inspire young people by showcasing the remarkable feat he achieved under challenging circumstances that few others could have overcome in recent decades.

The Pakistani javelin thrower shattered the Olympic record with a monumental 92.97-meter throw in the men's javelin throw event at the Summer Games.

Nadeem's victory marked a watershed moment for Pakistani sports. His gold medal marks the nation's first-ever individual and track-and-field Olympic medal. 

Moreover, he was only the second South Asian athlete to stand on the podium in this sport.

The last time Pakistan stood on an Olympic podium was in 1992 when the hockey team clinched bronze at the Barcelona Olympics. Pakistan's first-ever Olympic gold medal was also won by the hockey team in 1984.