Tribute to the theatre doyen

London's historic Mountbatten Hall to host 'Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival' on his 35th death anniversary

London's historic 17th century edifice, the Mountbatten Hall, with the Prince of Wales HRH Prince Charles as its Chief Patron, will host a tribute to Hyderabadi theatre legend Qadir Ali Baig on his 35th death anniversary.

A fitting international tribute to the late playwright-director-actor who was known for his historical pageants and social dramas in 1970s and 1980s about whom renowned filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt says, "Qadir Ali Baig left behind a legacy and his footprints are engraved in the sands of time. He was one of the founding fathers of theatre as a mode for free speech and thought in India".

The Doyen strode the theatre scene in Deccan like a colossus pioneering the concept of Spectacle Theatre at historical monuments of Golconda Fort, Khilwat palace and tombs before his demise in 1984 at the age of 46. The tribute will be in the form of 'Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival' named after the Doyen, which is now in its 14th year running annually in Hyderabad.

Two Hyderabad-centric plays that have received global acclaim will be staged as part of the Festival on June 14th. 'Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada' that is the love-legend of the Hyderabad's founder King Quli Qutub Shah and 'Under an Oak Tree', a bioplay. Both plays are directed by the doyen's son, celebrated theatre revivalist Padmashri Mohammad Ali Baig and written by daughter-in-law Noor Baig. Baig also stars in both the heritage plays.

"The first play is based on Qadir Ali Baig sahab's epic that he used to stage at the Golconda Fort in the 1970s and the second play is a bioplay based on his own life. So, it's an apt tribute to the theatre great", says revivalist Mohammad Ali Baig who also stars as the protagonist in both plays.

Home Minister Md Mahmood Ali congratulated Baig and said, "These plays represent the state's ganga-jamuna tehzeeb and is the right homage to late Qadir Ali Baig sahab who was 'theatre ki duniya ka betaaj badshah'."