COVID-19: Online reading session for the 36th anniversary of (late) Qadir Ali Baig

Mohd Ali Baig will read ‘Alone’, a story set during lockdown

The doors are shut but Hyderabad-based Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation will open its windows on June 3 for an online reading session for its audiences. Conducted by theatre personality Mohd Ali Baig, this session will be in memory of his father, the legendary theatre personality (late) Qadir Ali Baig whose 36th death anniversary falls on June 3. Every year, the Foundation commemorates the occasion by staging a performance but this year, due to COVID-19 lockdown, the show goes online.

Memories from life

On the occasion, Mohd Ali Baig will read a story ‘Alone’ from a collection of ten short stories, A-Quaint-Essences, written by his wife and actor-writer Noor Baig; the book is to be launched later this month. Set during the lockdown, ‘Alone’ is the story of a yesteryear actress with a repository of memories from her life; she is in self-isolation and faces her role in real life.

This is also the 15th year of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation which has been helping performers with monetary and essentials support. Says Mohd Ali Baig, “We thought it would be the right way to pay tribute and mark the 15th anniversary by taking his legacy of theatre beyond the performing art form to the humanitarian arena. Since the premise of Baba’s work was that theatre should transcend boundaries, serving the true spirit of humanity and oneness, reaching out to those who make theatre around the country possible was important in these critical times.”

In support

Bhungar Khan, musician of the eight-generations old Manganiyar family of Rajasthan says, “We are indebted to the Foundation for their financial and medical supply support to 600 families of Manganiyar singers and Kalbeliya dancers in Rajasthan. For a decade and a half, we have performed in various theatre spectacles of the Baig Foundation. This support to us has been consistent, particularly when all us performers are locked-in for over two months now.”

(One can log on to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation’s YouTube channel and Facebook page (@QABTFHyd) or bookmyshow.com to join the reading session on June 3 at 7.30 pm).

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