The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, one of the country’s four most notable theatre organisations has come up with their new show Alone today in Hyderabad. Prior to this, The Pioneer spoke to Noor Baig, playwright-actress and vice president of the foundation, who shares her association with the city this week for Hyderabond.
Tejal Sinha
Several decades down the line, the theatre has still been a foundation for many actors and actresses. The theatre has been this magical world where stories come to life.
Although not really a theatre-centric city, Hyderabad still never fails to house several budding theatre artists. Thanks to the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, one of the oldest theatre foundations in the city of Nizams, which to date has never let the theatre culture dim here. In fact, the foundation has collaborated with several Bollywood actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, and Shekhar Suman, to name a few.
Today, we have with us, Noor Baig, playwright-actress, and vice president of the foundation, who takes us through her creative path, her show Alone in Hyderabad, her association with the city, and its biggest theatre foundation, and more.
Storytelling has always been a part of Noor’s life, ever since she was a kid. “I’ve been telling stories ever since I could talk and writing stories ever since I could put words on paper,” said the artist. “Performance and writing have always been a part of my life and a very strong compulsion for as long as I can remember. My parents always encouraged me to be creative, proudly reading my ‘short stories’ and watching my made-up plays. They always believed I should make time and space for my creative expression. However, on my own, I put this side of mine away for a short time, while deciding to follow a professional path, but I was made to bring it to the forefront again when I got associated with Mohammad Ali Baig and Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation.”
It was then that she realised how theatre can be a full-time, self-sustaining profession if you treat it like that. She then saw how dignity and respect can be brought to the art form instead of just being a part-time vocation and how theatre can become an integral quotient for enhancing society.
The initiation into her first play as a playwright and actor in Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada happened serendipitously, to which she thanks “Baig’s push to involve me, the trust and confidence he placed in a debutant, but the commitment to the craft has now become permanent and self-motivated.”
Hyderabad! You just cannot miss out on Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation’s acclaimed play Alone today at The Park Hyderabad. Set in lockdown, yesteryear star Asha looks back at her unusual life journey. The introspective play laced with humour is based on a short story from Noor Baig’s recently launched book ‘A-Quaint-Essences’. Ahead of the show, sharing some exclusive deets about it, she said, “Alone is a part-spiritual sojourn and part-artist journey. It comprises the fears, crises, and humorous situational anecdotes that we all experienced during the pandemic, and yet it is a story of a woman holding her own in a very distinctive life path. During the lockdown, I was struck by the thought that a person in isolation could only hear voices from outside her house and imagine their life, while at the same time introspecting about the most important relationship in one’s life—the one one has with oneself. At the same time, Baig posed a question: “What about an actress living alone during lockdown?” I fused the two to sketch the story of Asha, an actress who misses her film community and yet, tracing the full circle of her unusual life journey, makes peace within.”
Having witnessed and worked firsthand, Noor very well knows what it’s like to be a professional theatre company in India in this day and age. Mohammed Ali Baig, the 2014 Padmashri recipient and the torchbearer of the foundation, runs the foundation with an iron fist and ensures the flow of creativity. “We have generations of artists working with us in all departments. Since Hyderabad is not a theatre-centric city, the theatre and art fraternity from all over the world credit the foundation with initiating audiences into theatre culture in this city. I know it sounds like a love-fest, but I do tip my hat to my husband for being brave enough to swim against the tide and start a foundation in theatre doyen Qadir Ali Baig saheb’s name in the 21st century. It was pioneering for Baig Sahab himself in the 70s with the societal and logistical hurdles, but I think to pursue theatre unabashedly and wholeheartedly in this day and age (and in a city not yet as conducive to it due to infrastructural and cultural drawbacks) is another ballgame altogether.”
Hyderabad is known for its monumental and historical locations, and Noor recalls their memorable performances that were at Golconda Fort, Falaknuma Palace, the British Residency, Chowmohalla Palace, Taramati Baradari, and Salar Jung Museum.
“When we bring these monuments to life with our originally-written plays, The best part is that we’ve brought native Hyderabadis to these historical locations to visit for the first time because of our shows.”
So, what really makes Hyderabad different from other cities and countries when it comes to the love for theatre, irrespective of Hyderabad not being a theatre-centric city? “We’ve had some of our best shows and audiences in Mumbai, Delhi, and London. But I feel Hyderabad’s audiences are really ready to appreciate and show their love when something truly touches them. I always strongly believe that it takes courage to show your appreciation and gratitude for performance as much as it takes guts to perform onstage. It’s easier to be dismissive or tear something down, even if you don’t know why. But it’s harder to speak up when you like something. And that’s a unique quality Hyderabad’s audience possesses—their love is really special and expressive,” gleefully shared the playwright-actress.
The connoisseur made her debut on stage at Golconda Fort as Bhagmati. Noor, who defines Hyderabad as her ‘karma-bhoomi’, began her professional theatre journey in Hyderabad. And, so, “Performing for Hyderabad’s audience naturally brings a tender and deeply personal connection. Hyderabad has been our launchpad, and it is also our homecoming. It’s lovely to perform for global audiences of diverse ethnic origins and come back home to Hyderabad and retell the tale.”
