Hyderabad: Telangana governor Jishnu Dev Varma has inaugurated the 20th edition of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival.
In his address, the governor lauded the Foundation for its contribution to Hyderabad’s cultural landscape.
He further remarked that Hyderabad, the City of Pearls, has long been a vibrant confluence of artistic expressions, where theatre gracefully bridges heritage and modernity, memory and imagination. “This collaboration between the Foundation and the Telangana Government exemplifies our state’s commitment to preserving culture while fostering creative innovation,” he added.
Paying homage to the late legend Qadir Ali Baig, the Governor said, “He was not merely a theatre pioneer but a visionary who believed that art unites humanity beyond all forms. His legacy continues through the illustrious work of his son, Mohammad Ali Baig, who has carried it forward with remarkable prestige and dignity.”
The curator of the Festival, a celebrated director-actor, said that the theme of this edition is very interesting: From Stalwarts to Next-Gen. He said, “As we move into the 20th year, we present works of the new generation and talent. In the past 20 years, we have presented the who’s who of world theatre to Hyderabad audiences, and now is the time to bring centrestage the next generation of theatre practitioners.”
The month-long 20th edition celebration will feature Anupam Kher, Sharmila Tagore, Mohan Agashe, Mahesh Elkunchwar, and Lillete Dubey on one hand, and youngsters like Junaid Khan and Zahan Kapoor on the other, with the theme ‘Stalwarts to Next-Gen’.
