India, Jan. 12 -- The story of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah will be brought to life on stage in the play Aakhri Tajdaar: The Last King at the Sant Gadge Auditorium of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy on Tuesday.

Written and directed by Masood Abdullah, who also portrays the last emperor of Awadh, the play aims to present a nuanced portrait of the historical figure. "We are trying to tell the real story of Wajid Ali Shah," Abdullah tells HT City and adds, "A lot has been written about him in Britisher-guided history books, following a narrative set to defame him. However, that was not the case."

The performance will highlight lesser-known aspects of his life. "We know he was exiled to Calcutta (now Kolkata), but the fact is he himself wen...