Aamir Raza Husain

Aamir Raza Husain (6 January 1957 – 3 June 2023) was an Indian theatre actor and director, noted for his large outdoor stage productions like The Fifty Day War (2000), based on the Kargil War and The Legend of Ram (2004), based on the epic Ramayana. He was also the creative director of Stagedoor, a theatre company established in 1974, which has staged over 91 productions and more than 1,100 performances.[1][2]

Aamir Raza Husain
Born(1957-01-06)6 January 1957
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died3 June 2023(2023-06-03) (aged 66)
Delhi, India
Occupation(s)Theatre director, actor
Years active1974–2023

Husain was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 by the Government of India.[3]

Early life and education

Born in the Awadhi aristocratic family of Mumtaz Husain and Kaniz Mehida in Lucknow, Husain was an only child. The family moved to SP Marg in Delhi when he was still quite young and he attended the Garden School there.[1]

Husain was sent to Mayo College, a boarding school, at age ten in 1968, and after he finished his schooling he went on to study history at St. Stephen's College, Delhi. He acted in various college plays, working with directors such as Joy Michael, Barry John, and Marcus Murch.[1]

Career

Husain also appeared in the English film Kim (1984), starring Peter O'Toole and based on Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim.[4] Over the years he had produced several plays staged at outdoor locations, such as Sare Jahan Se Acha, 1947 Live, and in 1999. Satyamev Jayate, used the Hauz Khas monument as a backdrop.[5] In 1998, he and his troupe along with Delhi Tourism organized the Chaudvin ka Chand festival between the historic Red Fort and Fatehpuri Mosque in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi.[6]

The Legend of Ram, based on the epic Ramayana, was first staged in 1994, and later for period of four months in 2004 on a much larger scale with 19 outdoor sets spread over three acres, 35 characters and a 100-member crew. The last show of the play was performed before President APJ Abdul Kalam on 1 May 2004.[7] In 2007, he acted and directed One into Two, a comedy play written by Peter Season and which was staged in five cities across India, including Mumbai.[8]

In 2010, he revived his production Move Over, first staged at the official farewell of President Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1997, under the banner of "Welcomtheatre." it was performed in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and many other cities in India.[9][10]

Politics

Aamir Raza Husain was once a member of the BJP. He was the Delhi BJP vice president until July 2013, resigning after criticizing Narendra Modi.[11][12][13]

Personal life and death

Husain was based in Delhi. He married actress Viraat Talwar in 1993 after the two met in 1987, when Talwar, a student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), auditioned for his play Dangerous Liaison. It was also her first professional role. The couple had two children, Kaniz Sukaina and Ghulam Ali Abbas.[7][9]

Aamir Raza Husain died in Delhi on 3 June 2023 at the age of 66.[14]

References
  1. "Life, the Aamir Raza Husain way". Times of India. 28 September 2003.
  2. "The larger than life director". Financial Express. 19 February 2000. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013.
  3. "Padma Awards". Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
  4. "Theatre director-actor Aamir Raza Husain passes away at 66 due to heart-related ailment". The Economic Times. 5 June 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. "Junoon to extend hand of dosti at Hauz Khas". Indian Express. 19 March 1999.
  6. "Chaudvin ka Chand lights up Chandni Chowk galis". Indian Express. 7 September 1998.
  7. "Legend of Ram lives within Aamir Raza". Times of India. 9 May 2004.
  8. "Aamir Raza Hussain play-s with bigamy blues". CNN-IBN. 23 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
  9. "Enter stage right". The Hindu. 21 August 2010.
  10. "I love making people laugh: Aamir Raza". The Times of India. 30 October 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
  11. Press Trust of India (17 July 2013). "Aamir Raza Hussain quits important post in BJP after criticising Narendra Modi". NDTV. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  12. "Why Aamir Raza Husain's departure is bad news for the BJP". 17 July 2013.
  13. "Aamir Raza Husain speaks out about Mehrunnisa, minorities and Narendra Modi". 26 January 2014.
  14. NewsWire (3 June 2023). "Aamir Raza Husain, creator of stage spectacles, passes away aged 66 CanIndia News". CanIndia News. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
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