Aamir Raza Husain

Biography:

Aamir Raza Husain was an acclaimed Indian theatre actor and director, renowned for his grand outdoor productions such as The Fifty Day War (2000), inspired by the Kargil War, and The Legend of Ram (2004), based on the Ramayana. He was also the creative force behind Stagedoor, a theatre company founded in 1974, which has produced over 91 plays and more than 1,100 performances.

Honored with the Padma Shri in 2001, Husain appeared in the English film Kim (1984), starring Peter O’Toole. His notable outdoor productions include Sare Jahan Se Acha and 1947 Live, and in 1999, Satyamev Jayate featured the Hauz Khas monument as its backdrop. In 1998, he organized the Chaudvin ka Chand festival with Delhi Tourism, held between the Red Fort and Fatehpuri Mosque in Chandni Chowk.

The Legend of Ram was first presented in 1994 and later expanded in 2004 with 19 outdoor sets across three acres and a 100-member crew. The final performance was attended by President APJ Abdul Kalam on May 1, 2004. In 2007, Husain directed and acted in the comedy One into Two, which toured five Indian cities.

In 2010, he revived his production Move Over, initially staged in 1997 at President Shankar Dayal Sharma’s farewell, and performed it in several Indian cities under “Welcomtheatre.” Husain was previously involved with the BJP, serving as Delhi BJP vice president until July 2013 when he resigned following criticism of Narendra Modi.

Born on January 6, 1957, in Lucknow to Mumtaz Husain and Kaniz Mehida, he grew up in Delhi and attended Garden School and Mayo College. He studied history at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, where he acted in college plays directed by Joy Michael, Barry John, and Marcus Murch. Husain married actress Viraat Talwar in 1993; they had two children, Kaniz Sukaina and Ghulam Ali Abbas. He passed away in Delhi on June 3, 2023, at the age of 66.