Hyderabad, Nov 9 (IANS): Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival will begin here on November 16 with a live concert by music maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

A formidable lineup at this year's five-day festival will be paying tribute to Hyderabadi theatre legend late Qadir Ali Baig.

The festival will feature works of literary giants Manto, Sagar Sarhadi and Satish Alekar and live performances by Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Bollywood's Ramesh Talwar and Juhi Babbar, IPTA's Rakesh Bedi and Masood Akhtar, Assam's Bhageerathi and Baharul Islam, Kolkatta's Aloke Chakraborty and others.

The festival is scheduled from November 16 to 20 at various iconic venues, including Moazzam Jahi Market courtyard, Taramati Baradari and Radisson Blu Plaza.

The inaugural of the festival will be held at the spectacular Taramati Baradari with Sarod legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan live in concert, followed by the screening of M.S. Sathyu's classic film on India's Partition 'Garm Hava' that featured Balraj Sahni and Farooque Shaikh at the restored Prince Moazzam Jahi Courtyard.

The festival this year has plays coinciding with 75 years of India's independence. Film screening, workshops and panel discussions on various aspects of theatre form a part of the 17th edition of the festival.

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival is the only Indian arts festival that was conducted live even during the pandemic. Curated by celebrated theatre revivalist and screen actor Mohammad Ali Baig, this flagship theatre festival features who's who of international theatre and cinema every year.