A few days to go and Qatar will be dazzled by the timeless magic that is Mughal-E-Azam. This multi-award-winning Broadway-style musical from India, presented by Q-Tickets, is set to be staged on December 19 and 20 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
Preparations are in full swing and the co-founder and COO of Q-Tickets, Aarti Mahajan, “is hands-on for all the groundwork to make its premiere in Doha successful as it had been in other countries”, the organisers have said in a statement.
Being the project director of the first-ever Mughal-E-Azam: The Grand Musical in Doha, Mahajan shares some points on why this “world-class theatrical production promises a unique experience to everyone in Qatar”.
What inspired you to bring ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ to Qatar for the first time?
Mughal-E-Azam is the grand finale of this year’s Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture that showcases various cultural art forms from the different states of India. We believe this musical play is just a fitting finale to the celebration. That’s the reason why we wanted to bring Mughal-E-Azam to Qatar this year.
As the project director, how are the preparations for the event and the public’s response?
We are aggressively promoting this event through our media channels. We have partnered with major companies as our sponsors, as well as restaurants and Indian communities for ticket-selling convenience. The Mughal-E-Azam cast and crew will be travelling from Mumbai to Qatar soon and we are so excited to welcome them.
Since we first launched the show in Qatar, different nationalities are already booking tickets from our online and offline ticket partners. Some of them are expatriates coming from the UK, South Africa and Middle Eastern countries. Qataris and other Arab communities are also expressing their enthusiasm for the event.
 Who are your partners behind making this event a success?
We have partnered with some of the biggest names in the media, hospitality, culinary, transportation and other sectors in Qatar. We are grateful to our radio, cinema and print media partners as well for their involvement. The Qatar National Tourism Council and other government entities are also in full support with us for all the event preparations.
How do you envision the production and what are its wow factors?
The entire production will be a grand showcase of 125 Indian talents and the masterpiece of the famous director, Feroz Abbas Khan. The characters’ costumes designed by renowned designer Manish Malhotra, the lavish sets by award-winning stage and lighting designers, and the live song-and-dance performances, are worth watching.
Why everyone in Qatar should not miss watching ‘Mughal-E-Azam’?
This is a rare opportunity for all top-notch Indian artistes to come together in Qatar and give us a glimpse of this grand musical that has already been witnessed and applauded by other foreign countries. It’s about time for Qatar to witness this magical musical, India’s rendition of the Romeo and Juliet love story. Mughal-E-Azam is a spectacular year-ender everyone must not dare to miss.
The two-day show will have English and Arabic translation subtitles to be flashed on wide screens so that everybody can enjoy. “Don’t miss this grand musical that everyone is talking about,” the organisers added.
Tickets can be booked now at q-tickets.com.