Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival is back in town with its 19th edition, and this time, it’s themed around women

What happens when a group of immensely talented individuals comes together to pursue their passion? Magic is created. Art, in all its forms, brings forth this magic, leaving an indelible mark on the souls it touches. Theatre exemplifies this; as actors on stage lose themselves in their roles, the audience is transported, immersed in the narrative crafted by the artists. For the performers, the experience is transcendental, while the audience is profoundly moved.

The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival is back with its 19^th edition, and must we say, with a spectacular line-up as always. However, this year, the edition is a little different, and holds a special place in the heart of curator and theatre revivalist Padmashri Mohammad Ali Baig. The festival is themed around women as a tribute to his late mother Begum Razia Baig, chairperson of the Qadir Ali Baig Foundation. Begum Razia Baig passed away in March this year.

The grandeur of this festival, owing to mesmerising larger-than-life venues and productions is something they have always prided on. While it provides a platform for the audience to experience the magic of theatre, it also provides a platform for artistes from pan India to come together, and celebrate the art form. “It is humbling to see the audience for theatre, in Hyderabad, grow with each passing year. I’m elated to contribute to this and be a catalyst of the process,” Mohammad Ali Baig says.

This festival kick-started with some laughs and humour, with Ashish Vidhyarthi’s stand-up comedy, Vitthal Kaanya, where he presents anecdotes from his life and journey as a comic and actor. “In an audience where not everyone is comfortable being laughed at, I found someone who was okay to be laughed at, and had agreed not to sue me for it, myself,” he laughs. Stand-up, he says, is a form of theatre itself, just a different genre, and he finds it very liberating to take the audience through his journey. “I believe that any art form is incomplete without an addition of the artist’s personality, and that is exactly what I have tried to do with acting and stand-up as well,” he adds.

To continue the laughter streak, Ila Arun’s Miracle on Matunga Street talks about the importance of faith, life in its absence, albeit with elements of comedy. An adaptation of Tom Dudzick’s Miracle on South Division Street, Ila Arun has thoughtfully written Miracle on Matunga Street in the Indian context, with Velankanni amma in place of Virgin Mary. “When I adapted this play, I wanted everyone to relate to it; I did not want to differentiate based on religion. I spoke to lots of people around me, listened to bhajans and hymns, and after thorough research, decided to have Velankanni amma in place of Virgin Mary,” she says. Further adding to the relevance of Indian context, K K Raina, the director of the play, says, “I think this play is very important for India in this day as it goes beyond all religious issues, and just talks about being a good human above everything.” As the play keeps going back and forth in time, and the theme is faith, lights and sound, especially the usage of hymns, enhances the experience.

Another play which prides itself on its music is Farida, a love story set in Kashmir, which challenges the dilemma of having to choose between a heart’s desire and societal expectations. Nadira Babbar, the director of the play, says, “As this play is set in Kashmir, we have used folk tunes from that region.” Adhering to the larger theme of women, in this play, Frida, the protagonist, is a free-spirited girl who navigates her relationship with her husband who leaves her, and finds love and solace in her brother-in-law.

Continuing the shringara rasa, Chithkala School of Dance presents Thyagaraja Hruth Sadhana, a Bharatanatyam production which strings together different Thyagaraja songs. Praveen Kumar, the choreographer, has tried to move away from the bhakti rasa (emotion of devotion), which is what all Thyagaraja songs are based on, and showcases the shringara rasa (emotion of love). He has experimented with different narratives here—showcasing a different rasa, envisioning Ram as a child, and performing whole pieces where the dancer is just sitting down on stage, and performing the pieces where the dancer is just sitting down on the stage. He says that the lights and storytelling in theatre has inspired him to experiment, while keeping the core essence of a Thyagaraja song intact. “I’m very excited to present this production at the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival. Theatre festivals like this give dancers an opportunity, a platform to use creative liberty to the fullest, explore and experiment,” Praveen Kumar says.

The baton of shringara rasa gets passed on to Himani Shivpuri and Rajendra Gupta in Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, a love story of two old people who find hope and life in each other. A theatre artiste, vivacious and full of life, goes to a health centre for a check-up, and meets a doctor with a totally opposite, a rather “dried up” personality. Well as they say, opposites attract, and that’s exactly what happens in this play. Inspired by Arbuzov’s original Russian play Do you Sommersault, it explores the theme of finding a hope to live. Himani Shivpuri draws parallels and contrasts between acting on stage versus in front of camera. Theatre, she says, gives you the luxury to explore your character with your co-actor for months together, and in the process, understand the deeper layers of each character.

Performing in this festival entails a very personal connection for Himani. She shares, “Mohammad Ali Baig brings this festival every year as a tribute to his father, and that connects very well with me because it was actually my father who introduced me to theatre, and encouraged me to pursue it full time. What Baig does here resonates with me very deeply, hence, I’m really looking forward to performing here.”

While the whole festival is primarily an ode to the legacy of his father, Mohammad Ali Baig has curated this edition as an ode to his mother. Right before the curtain closes, Zila Khan and Baig present Mystical Fragrance—An Ode To Motherhood. Zila khan, a revered singer, actor and the founder of Ustad Gah Foundation, is set to enchant the audience with her voice, while Mohammad Ali Baig and Dolly Thakore present poems around the theme of motherhood. “Razia Baig and I are cut out from the same intellect fabric. We connected over art, and over motherhood, hence, this tribute is very special for me,” says Zila Khan. She also talks about how she sees a rise in classical music and art connoisseurs in this generation, and relates it with the economy of the country. "The generation around 25 years back was very lost as they had new money coming in, hence everyone focused on accumulating that wealth, and not spending it on art. She notices a shift now, where a majority has the basic needs fulfilled, hence can give more their attention to making art, or appreciating it," she explains.

Talking about curating this festival and being the flagbearer of theatre in Hyderabad, Mohammad Ali Baig recalls how as a teenager, it was his dream to have a festival like the theatre festival of Edinburgh, in our city. This dream of his has, over the years, given a completely different shape to the theatre scene in Hyderabad. “A year after mom and I founded the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, I remember people would come and say, ‘why are you flogging a dead horse? Theatre is out. People are resorting to YouTube and other digital platforms.’ Now, 18 years later, I can see that this city has built an audience for theatre which continues to grow. I feel humbled to be a part of this transformation,” he says.

The festival will also feature Alexander Wright for a storytelling session of a Greek tale, and master classes by Dolly Thakore, Nadira Babbar, Alexander Wright and Ashish Vidyarthi.

Tickets at ₹250 onwards. November 6 to November 10. At Taramati Baradari Auditorium.

Indulge speaks to theatre stalwarts Himani Shivpuri and Rajendra Gupta