Community Spotlight / Review: Behind the Moon — A Powerful Story of Immigrant Life Inside a Canadian Mughlai Restaurant

Review: Behind the Moon — A Powerful Story of Immigrant Life Inside a Canadian Mughlai Restaurant

Community Spotlight Apr 06, 2026

by Meena Khan | Beauty Editor

A review of Behind the Moon, a powerful Montreal play set in a late-night Mughlai restaurant exploring immigrant life and labour.

Montreal audiences have the opportunity to experience a powerful new stage production this April with Behind the Moon, presented by Teesri Duniya Theatre as part of its milestone 45th season, themed “Season of the Migrant.” Written by acclaimed playwright Anosh Irani and directed by Chelsea Dab Hilke, the play explores the complex realities faced by immigrant workers navigating life, identity, and survival far from home.

Set inside a late-night South Asian restaurant, the story follows three men whose lives intersect through labour, loneliness, and the search for a better future—revealing the emotional toll, quiet resilience, and human connections that shape the immigrant experience.

📍 Where: Rangshala at Cité-des-Hospitalières, 251 av. des Pins Ouest, Montreal
📅 When: April 3–19, 2026
🕖 Showtimes: 7 PM Tuesday–Saturday and Sunday April 19
🎭 Matinées: April 5, 11, 12, and 18 at 2 PM
🎟 Tickets: $15–$28 (with student, senior, and group discounts available)
🔗 Tickets & Info: teesriduniyatheatre.com

Get Tickets Here

ANOKHI editor Meena Khan attended the debut performance and shares her review of this thought-provoking production below.

The play, written by Anosh Irani and directed by Chelsea Dab Hilke, recounts the harrowing impact of labour exploitation and mental illness as endured by Ayub (portrayed by Adolyn H. Dar) at the hands of Qadir Bhai (portrayed by Andrew Joseph Richardson), and witnessed by Jalal (portrayed by Aladeen Tawfeek).

The play runs until April 19, 2026, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to see this production—a 120-minute performance that passes in what feels like moments.

A Set That Immediately Transports the Audience

The moment I entered the theatre I was enchanted by the atmosphere, as the rows were full of attendees who were brimming with curiosity and excitement. My friend Mini and I landed front row seats, and we were impressed by the set design and props; we felt like we were in a real, authentic desi restaurant that are found in towns and cities around the world.

The sparse table and chairs, linoleum floor, the neon OPEN sign, the orange wall, minaret entranceway and mouth-watering food display, already set the tone even before the lights dimmed! The food display was so mouth-watering, that for a moment I thought that we would have a davat after the performance but Mini astutely pointed out that we did not smell any spices, so I put aside my desire for butter chicken.

Behind the Moon, Teesri Duniya Theatre Play Review. Set picture. Photo Credit: Meena Khan — *Behind the Moon*, Teesri Duniya Theatre Play Review. Set picture. Photo Credit: Meena Khan

The Complex Dynamics Between Ayub, Jalal, & Qadir Bhai in Behind The Moon

As showtime started, the lights dimmed to a moody blue and it helped me to enter Ayub’s lonely world as a worker from India who spends his days literally slaving away in a restaurant called Mughlai Moon. At the start of the play, Ayub does not even introduce himself to Jalal who arrives in a flurry, craving butter chicken, and his reticence was heartbreaking to witness, and begged the question, “Why is Ayub so closed off?”

In the next scenes, we are introduced to Qadir Bhai, who arrived from India many years ago and initially worked in construction, and through sheer grit and the blessing of the Almighty (according to him) became a successful restauranteur. Qadir Bhai is a level 10 annoying uncle who bathes himself in so much religious imagery that angels would develop an inferiority complex. It is quickly established that Qadir is a manipulative person who twists all of Ayub’s reasonable questions and comments, leaving Ayub crestfallen.

Jalal is a mysterious taxi driver who also hails from India and is inquisitive and insightful. Through his pointed questions about Ayub’s daily life, we come to understand that Ayub is being exploited by Qadir Bhai. His persistent friendliness and positive impact on Ayub remind us that not all angels have wings; some have two legs and make a difference just by showing up.

Each scene is an emotional journey, because Ayub starts off as a fully covered onion, and as we peel away the layers through Jalal’s questions and Qadir Bhai’s manipulations we understand how Ayub ended up in Canada being exploited.

Each actor is so riveting that by the time we reached the first intermission, Mini remarked that it felt like only 10 minutes had passed. During intermission, Mini and I debated what would happen next, and analysed if Jalal was a figment of Ayub’s imagination. The conversations that I overheard, indicated that we were not alone in our curiosity about the fate of the three characters.

<em>Behind the Moon</em>, Teesri Duniya Theatre Play Review. ANOKHI Editor Meena Khan & Friend Mini Datta with the Cast: Clockwise: Aladeen Tawfeek, Andrew Joseph Richardson, Adolyn H. Dar, Aladeen Tawfeek. Photo Credit: Meena Khan — *Behind the Moon*, Teesri Duniya Theatre Play Review. ANOKHI Editor Meena Khan & Friend Mini Datta with the Cast: Clockwise: Aladeen Tawfeek, Andrew Joseph Richardson, Adolyn H. Dar, Aladeen Tawfeek. Photo Credit: Meena Khan

A Riveting Second Half

The energy of the first half was matched by the second, and what marked the second half was witnessing Ayub’s emotional breakdown. His fear and tears coupled with the riveting use of lights made the play a fully immersive experience because I felt like I was inside of Ayub’s mind. Dar’s portrayal of such difficult moments was searing and shed insight into why people remain in exploitative situations.

Ayub was not alone in shedding tears, as Jalal revealed his own tragedies. Tawfeek’s ability to evoke sadness and regret, made me physically pull back. It was refreshing and compelling to watch South Asian male characters weep and expose the harshness of their respective truths.

Qadir Bhai’s calm, delusional demeanour contrasted sharply with the pain of Ayub and Jalal, but it was perfect. We often ask ourselves how people can allow cruelty to happen in their midst. Richardson’s portrayal answers the questions beautifully, and it reminded us to not trust people who wear cloaks of gold because they could just be strutting around in pyrite.

Behind the Moon–A Thought-Provoking Theatre Experience

This play is not a passive experience; the actors pull you into the heart journey of the plot and along the way you understand the harsh, daily Canadian issue of labour exploitation that touches everyone, including citizens. Each scene is tight, and every word serves a purpose. The spectacular performances, beautiful props and effective lighting, make for an enjoyable, educational evening that will leave you thinking about the issues long after the curtain drops.

Get Tickets Here

Meena Khan | Beauty Editor

Author

Meena (@meenalaregina) always loved the idea of exploring the non-conventional idea of beauty. Having grown up as a pimply chubby teenager, she wanted to see the change in the world that best reflected your uniqueness as well. Her well-received collection of blogs where she tries on various beauty p...

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