Anarkali – Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj, Urdu Drama (Session 2027-28)

انارکلی (Anarkali) by Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj is one of the most celebrated works of modern Urdu drama, and has long been a set text on the Cambridge International A-Level Urdu (9686) syllabus used by examination centres across Pakistan. Written as a verse-drama, it imagines the Mughal-era legend of Anarkali and Prince Salim at the court of Emperor Akbar — a story of love, loyalty and the price of defying royal authority — told through lyrical dialogue that has been studied, staged and quoted for generations. For the 2027-28 session we supply it to A Level Urdu students and to readers of classic Urdu drama.

Why students and readers keep coming back to it

Imtiaz Ali Taj wrote Anarkali as a young man in the 1920s, and its blend of Mughal-era history with poetic Urdu dialogue is exactly what makes it rewarding as an A-Level literature text: strong characters, a tightly-built plot across several acts, and language rich enough to reward close reading — themes examiners look for at Cambridge International A-Level. It is also studied and enjoyed simply as a classic of Urdu literature, independent of any syllabus.

Good to know before you order

• Genuine printed edition, not a photocopy.
• Anarkali is also one of the set texts anthologised inside Barg-e-Gul, our other Cambridge A-Level Urdu (9686) title — many students studying for the same paper pick up both.
• Suitable for A-Level Urdu students, and for any reader of classic Urdu drama.

Anarkali in the 2027-28 session: which A Level Urdu syllabus?

Anarkali has been a set text of Cambridge A Level Urdu 9686, whose last exams are in 2026. From 2027, Cambridge A Level Urdu for centres in Pakistan uses the new syllabus 9866 (Urdu Language & Literature, exams in 2027, 2028 and 2029), and its set-text list can differ from the old one. If you are an A Level student in the 2027-28 session, check the 9866 set-text list your school gives you and send it to us on WhatsApp: we will confirm whether Anarkali is on it and gather the other titles. For every other reader, it remains one of the best-loved plays of the Urdu stage.

Message us on WhatsApp with the book name to check current stock and price — we deliver all over Pakistan with cash on delivery.

Inside the book — contents and sample pages