Siah Moy & Jalali
Siah Moy & Jalali is one of Afghanistan's most beloved romantic folk tales — the story of two lovers from different ethnic backgrounds whose love is challenged by family opposition and social boundaries. Heartbroken and restless, Jalali leaves home and wanders in the pain of love. In his loneliness, he composes countless folk verses that slowly spread from village to village, living on the tongues of the people. Moved by the depth of their love, the families finally agree to unite the two lovers. Yet fate remains cruel — shortly after reaching his beloved, Jalali falls ill and leaves this world in the arms of love. Siah Moy & Jalali became Afghanistan's first string-puppet theatre performance, staged in Kabul in 2018 by the Mim Theatre Group with the financial support of the Aga Khan Foundation. The folk verses of Jalali were performed and composed by the young musician Mehdi Afshar.