To coincide with the birth centenary celebrations of the famous Hyderabad-born Urdu poet Late Maqdoom Mohiuddin, renown all over the world for his romantic ghazals as well as his progressive and revolutionary poetry (some of which have been very popular film song compositions too), the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, in association with A P Tourism, is presenting Raat Phoolon Ki, on 26th April, at the Taramati Baradari Cultural Complex.
A unique theater production, this one has an actor (well-versed in Urdu) reading out his poetry on stage, and a classical dancer with a group performing fusion numbers to santoor-based music composed & played live on stage by renowned santoor player Rahul Sharma (the son of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma). It is designed as a lyrical, aesthetic, hour-long production for today's audiences.
The play is conceptualized, produced & directed by Mohammad Ali Baig, and the music is composed and played by Rahul Sharma. The lights and sets are designed by M S Sathyu, the costumes are designed by Lakshmi Devi Raj, the actor is played by Arif Zakaria, and the dancer is Dr. Alekhya Punjla.
Raat Phoolon Ki is Mohammad Ali Baig's third production, in line with the Heritage Theater genre that he has ushered in with "Taramati - The Legend of An Artist" (a theater spectacle based on the life of the dancer-singer of the Qutub Shahi era, staged at the 250-year-old Baradari monument) and "His Exalted Highness" (another period spectacle chronicling The Seventh Nizam's rule, staged at the 150-year-old Chowmohalla Palace). Along with those two, this forms the trilogy on Hyderabad's heritage & culture, mounted on epics scales.
Raat Phoolon Ki takes the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation's theater revival process another step further, after over two dozen hi-quality plays showcasing some of the best Indian theater from across the country, and several sessions of the Celebrating Theatre series with some of the most respected names in the industry.
The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation was founded by Mohammed Ali Baig, an advertising wizard, in memory of his father Qadir Ali Baig, who was a doyen of Hindustani theater. It was established in an attempt at revival of theater, which had lost its sheen in India. The foundation has on board danseuse Vani Ganapathy, artistes Rohini Hattangadi, Suhasini Maniratnam and Urmila Matondkar, lyricist Javed Akhtar and director M S Sathyu.
The foundation not only stages plays regularly every month, but also imparts basic training in all aspects of theater, so that young talent gets nurtured. Begum Razia Qadir Ali Baig, wife of Qadir Ali, is the Chairperson of the foundation, while Sathyu is the National Director and Mohammad Ali is the President.
Entry by donor passes of Rs. 250, available at A A Hussain, Walden, Music World and Sangeet Sagar, and at the venue prior to the show. Please contact 98490-66522 for further details.