`1857: Turrebaz Khan’: Mohammad Ali Baig’s play sets a new benchmark, takes audience back to 19th century

Hyderabad: The historic Taramati Baradari auditorium recently witnessed a theatre production that transported audiences back to the 19th century. Mohammad Ali Baig’s play 1857: Turrebaz Khan unfolded as an immersive experience, blending history, performance, and stagecraft.

An Atmosphere Beyond the Proscenium

As audiences entered, they were met with the sounds of crickets and owls, a full moon on the cyclorama, and a set dotted with rocks, boulders, bushes, and lanterns. At centre stage sat a man tied to a chair under a dim blue spotlight, the fiery freedom fighter Turrebaz Khan.

It is this staging that has earned the play international acclaim. When it premiered at the Edinburgh Festival, critics hailed it as “a milestone in contemporary Indian Theatre and the highlight of the fest.”

A Wordplay Between Captive and Captor

For one hour, the audience was riveted by the dialogue between the freedom fighter and his captor. One character fought for a cause, the other showed indifference. Through this exchange, the play highlighted conflicts that transcend time, between privilege and deprivation, the powerful and the powerless.

Turrebaz Khan, a Rohilla soldier, became known for courage that gave rise to the phrase “Turram Khan.” Alongside his mentor Maulvi Allaudin, he led an attack on the British Residency in Koti, then a stronghold of colonial power, to rescue his comrade Cheeda Khan.

Voices of Women Through Time

An unnamed woman in black interjected twice during the performance. Her lines echoed centuries of female suffering: “Mother, sister, daughter, wife, born to suffer, rather made to suffer.”

Her second appearance brought dance and music to the stage. With Bharatanatyam mudras, alaaps, and the rhythm of the Daff, she embodied pain through performance. A male counterpart entered with an Arabic Marfa, contrasting sounds that Baig used as a metaphor for social and gender disparity.

A Question That Lingers

In one exchange, Turrebaz confronts Qurban Ali, the Talukdar: “You think you belong to the Company sarkar, do you really belong there? Have you ever thought about who’s an actual prisoner?”

Baig’s script and direction used the forest setting, metaphors, and symbolism to ask contemporary questions about freedom, belonging, and inequality.

Performances and Craftsmanship

Though bound to a chair throughout, Baig as Turrebaz Khan commanded the stage with restraint and intensity. Veteran actor Masood Akhtar as Qurban Ali delivered an intimidating performance in noble regalia. Supporting actors S.A. Majeed and Adit Nag lent conviction to their roles.

The production was elevated by lighting design by Shailesh Hejmady and sound by Pavan Singh, both integral to the immersive effect. Each detail contributed to what audiences described as an unforgettable experience.

Audience From All Walks

A hallmark of Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation productions is the diversity of its audiences. From the Governor, diplomats, defence and police officials, and Hyderabad’s cultural elite to IT professionals, doctors, and students, the house was full. The cross-section reflected how theatre continues to bridge communities in the city.

Revisiting the Deccan’s Past

With 1857: Turrebaz Khan, Baig brought a chapter of Hyderabad’s resistance to colonial rule onto the stage. As one audience member noted, “It was not just a play, but a reminder of forgotten courage.”

In the end, the production stood as both a tribute to a local hero and an exploration of universal struggles. As the applause filled the Baradari, the play reaffirmed Baig’s reputation as a director who combines history with contemporary resonance.