Published 18:44 IST, August 5th 2020
Anupam Kher & Manoj Bajpayee pay respects to Ebrahim Alkazi, share heartfelt tributes
Legendary Indian theatre director and drama teacher Ebrahim Alkazi left for heavenly abode on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 after suffering a heart attack. He was 94
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Bollywood veterans Anupam Kher and Manoj Bajpayee have paid their heartfelt tribute to their guru Ebrahim Alkazi who passed away at the age of 94 on Tuesday. Ebrahim Alkazi was credited for revolutionising theatre in India and his significant contributions to the field and as Kher and Bajpayee have their acting roots in theater, they took to social media and wrote memoirs for Alkazi. Anupam Kher reminisced everything he learned and Manoj Bajpayee shared that there should be more teachers like the late thespian.
Have a look:
My acting Guru #EbrahimAlkazi Saab passed away today. The tallest man ever in our lives. He taught us not only about theatre, acting or dramas but also about life. He made us discover ourselves. He was our reference point for great acting. He will be MISSED. Om Shanti!! 🙏🙏💔 pic.twitter.com/LRh0oVSaLF
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) August 4, 2020
REST IN PEACE ALKAZI SAHIB!! we need more teachers like you !!! 🙏🙏🙏
— manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) August 4, 2020
Ebrahim Alkazi’s career
Early in Alkazi’s career, he got associated with the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group which included M. F. Husain, Tyab Mehta, Akbar Padamsee and more. Later, Alkazi moved to Delhi and became the director of the National School of Drama (NSD) for almost 15 years. In his stellar career, he was also known to have leading important advances in scenography. Noted as an art connoisseur, he founded the Art Heritage Gallery in Delhi.
As the director of NSD, he revolutionised Indian theatre with his magnificent vision and meticulous techniques. He is known to have trained prominent directors and artists like Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Vijaya Mehta and many more. He was the recipient of several honourable accolades for creating awareness about theatre sensibility and aptly mixing modern manifestations with Indian traditions.
In the year 2004, he became the first recipient of Roopwed Pratishtan’s Tanvir Award for his lifetime contribution to Indian theatre. He has also bagged Padma Shri in 1966 and the Padma Bhushan in the year 1991. Legendary Indian theatre director and drama teacher Ebrahim Alkazi left for heavenly abode on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. The theatre maestro suffered a heart attack. He was 94 years old. He was also the longest-serving director of National School of Drama.
As the news of Ebrahim Alkazi's death started spreading on the internet, several actors especially those with theatre background took to their social and paid their tribute to Ebrahim Alkazi. Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui also took to his social media handle and shared a eulogy for the late veteran.
The true architect of the Modern Indian Theatre. The Doyen who possessed the extreme knowledge in all the aspects of ART. The magician who nurtured many greats of theatre.
— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) August 4, 2020
May your brightest spark from the heaven keeps us enlightening #EbrahimAlkazi
#RIP pic.twitter.com/PjYxRybpSr
18:44 IST, August 5th 2020