Gawah (The Witness) – Hyderabad India Fearless By Birth, Pristine by Choice – First National Urdu Weekly From South India – Latest News, Breaking News, Special Stories, Interviews, Islamic, World, India, National News
Hyderabad, November 2025: Tn The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2025, presented in association with Telangana Tourism and GHMC, returns this November with an inspiring blend of plays, film screenings, and workshops that celebrate the finest voices of Indian and international theatre curated by Padma Shri Mohammad Ali Baig.
Inaugurated by His Excellency the Governor of Telangana, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre festival promises nearly a month of vibrant performances, powerful storytelling, blending both stalwarts and star kids in equal measure.
The opening evening features the screening of Dr. Mohan Agashe’s acclaimed film OutHouse, a moving exploration of human emotions featuring cinematic legend Sharmila Tagore. It is directed by Sunil Sukthankar. The following day features two insightful workshops, ‘Filmmaking’ by Sunil Sukthankar and ‘Costume Designing for Stage and Screen’ by National Award-winning designer Dolly Ahluwalia. The evening will close with Ananya Kasaravalli’s Harikatha Prasanga, a compelling tale of gender, identity, and performance traditions.
On November 9th, cinephiles will be treated to B. Narsing Rao’s timeless Telugu classic Matti Manushulu, before the festival transitions into an exciting line-up of live stage performances at Hyderabad’s premier cultural venues, including State Art Gallery, Shilparamam Amphitheatre, Radisson Blu Plaza, and Taramati Baradari.
Complementing the performances are masterclasses and workshops by leading theatre personalities. Mahesh Elkunchwar, one of India’s foremost playwrights, will conduct exclusive sessions on Playwriting and Character Construction, offering young artists a rare opportunity to learn from them.
What’s Playing
November 14: Chandaa Bedni by Alakhnandan’s Rangakarmee Theatre Group, Kolkata, a powerful story of resilience and womanhood.
November 15: Dorra by Shudrka Theatre, Hyderabad, a Telugu adaptation of the legendary Don Quixote story.
November 16: Unchayi by Baharul Islam’s Seagull Theatre, Assam, an Assamese interpretation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential masterpiece.
November 27: Didn’t Know That About You by Karen Houge’s Soky Productions, Norway, marking an exciting international collaboration.
November 28: Runaway Brides by Faezeh Jalali and Junaid Khan’s FATS TheArts, Mumbai, weaving multilingual stories of freedom, defiance, and identity.
November 29: Lockdown Liaisons by The Primetime Theatre Co., Mumbai, directed by Lillete Dubey and based on Shobhaa Dé’s writings, capturing life and love in the pandemic era.
November 30: Siachen featuring Makarand Deshpande and Zahan Kapur, produced by 72 East Productions, Mumbai, a stirring exploration of endurance, duty, and the human spirit.
Over the years, the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival has become synonymous with artistic excellence, bringing together theatre lovers, performers, and storytellers from across the world. It continues to honour the legacy of Theatre lodestar Qadir Ali Baig, whose pioneering work laid the foundation for Hyderabad’s theatre movement.
As curtains rise on another landmark edition, the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre festival continues to be the region’s exemplar of theatrical entertainment, celebrating, what it rightly terms, ’20 years of bringing global theatre to Hyderabad and taking Hyderabad to the world’.
