Gunamukha

The renowned Persian Emperor Nadir Shaw lived for about 60 years . Beginning his invasion of India then, the Hindustan in 1739, he defeated the Mughal army at the battle of Karnal in 1740, and captured Delhi. Lacking in fidelity and morality, the divans of the Mughal Empire were conspiring against their own king. Added to these problems, the Marathas were deftly capturing greater portions of the Mughal territory.

There was neither any match nor any comparison between the rising Nadir and the declining Mughal emperor. Nadir was a seasoned invader; and when it came to warfare tricks and strategies, there was none to beat him in the game. More than the wealth and comfort that he would get after every conquest, it appeared that he was thrilled by the cruelty involved in the war. He was so impatient that he never actually paid any attention towards administration and welfare of his subjects; however, he could not get to stand and when found, flare at the hypocrisy, falsehood and deceit of the human beings around him. The conspiring atmosphere, prevalent at the Mughal palace, only enraged him further, and increased his impatience and suspicion.Nadir, who never stayed at any place for a longer time, for once thought of settling down in India tempted by the abundant affluence and anarchy of the place. However, he was equally attracted by Persia. Caught between his desire to staying in India and returning to Persia, between his manly army and the unmanly treachery of the Mughal officials, he thought of finding his identity through his sword and soldiers, and in the process fell ill, both mentally and physically. The Hakim Alavi Khan, who plays a major role in this play, helps Nadir step back from the abysmal hell in which he was entrapped.