On June 1st, 2024, the country’s luminaries will gather for an evening of performing arts to pay homage to the late theatre matriarch Begum Razia Baig. The tribute will take place at Radisson Blu Plaza, Banjara Hills, featuring performances and speeches from some of India’s most renowned artists and dignitaries.
The event will showcase works from a diverse array of literary figures, ranging from Tamil poet Subramania Bharati to Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, Urdu poet Sardar Jafferi to Marathi lyricist Bal Kolhatkar, and Hindi dramatist Vijay Tendulkar to Telugu playwright Yandamoori. The evening aims to reflect Razia Baig’s broad influence on the arts.
Renowned singer, stage and Bollywood actress Ila Arun, theatre and cinema thespian Mohan Agashe, celebrated danseuse Vani Ganapathy, national award-winning actress Mita Vasisht, stage and television actress Rashmi Seth, and local Telugu actor-director Sreedhar Beecharaju are set to present brief performances. These will be complemented by speeches from former Minister Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, senior bureaucrat Jayesh Ranjan, and MLC Amer Ali Khan.
Nivedita Baunthiyal, Vice-President of IPTA Mumbai, praised Razia Baig’s contributions, stating, “Begum Razia Baig has been at the forefront of patronizing and energizing theatre artists around the country and overseas. Her dedication to the art form, especially with her Foundation and the annual Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival, was truly inspirational.”
Juhi Babbar, actress and director of Ekjute Theatre, echoed these sentiments, saying, “She embodied grace and commitment, epitomized Hyderabadi tehzeeb, and proved that one need not be flamboyant to leave a profound impact as an artiste. Hyderabad lost a true theatre icon, and it is befitting that we pay her this homage.”
“This evening of theatre, poetry, prose, dance, and classical music shall serve as an apt salutation to the matriarch known globally for her heritage and socially meaningful plays in Hindustani since the 1970s,” said veteran actress Rashmi Seth of Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation.
“It is more a tribute to the strength of a woman who strived to keep a legacy alive,” adds Md Ali Baig, actor, director and Late Razia Baig and Qadir Ali Baig’s son.
The event promises to be a moving tribute to Razia Baig, whose legacy continues to inspire the world of theatre and beyond.
