Description
The tradition of Urdu tanz-o-mazah has long used humour and satire to examine society and the ways people make sense of the world around them.
In his latest collection, Zakhm Khandan (The Laughing Wound), Muhammad Hanif Shiwani turns his attention to subjects including language, politics, family life and belonging, finding comedy and insight in everyday situations.
In conversation, Shiwani will discuss the place of tanz-o-mazah within Urdu literature, the writers who have shaped his thinking and the experiences that inspire his work. Reflecting on all three of his collections, he will explore how an observation or a conversation can become the starting point for an essay, while sharing the ideas behind his latest book.
Please note this event is in Urdu.
About the Author
Muhammad Hanif Shiwani
Muhammad Hanif Shiwani is an Urdu writer working in the tradition of tanz-o-mazah, a literary form that uses humour and satire to look closely at everyday life. He is the author of three collections, Meem Meem Mazameen (2021), Aap Se Parda Hai (2023) and Zakhm Khandan (2025). He lives in Yorkshire, where he has worked for many years as a surgeon and educator.
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