Mustajabuddin Malik, popularly known as “Ram Lila Guru”, is a highly respected theatre director, playwright, and filmmaker who has redefined the performance traditions of Indian theatre. He began his artistic journey as an actor in Nautanki (Hathras style), Raslila (Brij style), and Ramlila performances in Aligarh at a very young age. His early exposure to these folk forms instilled in him a deep passion for theatre as a means of questioning, provoking, and inspiring with new ideas.
He later joined Habib Tanvir’s Naya Theatre Repertory Company in Delhi, where he acted in several landmark productions including Sadak, Kaam Dev Ka Apna Basant Ritu Ka Sapna, Dekh Rahe Hain Nain, and Charan Das Chor. Malik also served as the Repertory Chief of Sneh Bharti under Shri Daya Prakash Sinha, assisting in productions like Bharat Darshan, Seedhiyan, and Itihas Chakra.
As a playwright and director, Malik has written and staged impactful plays such as Bahut Andhera Hai, Kahin Kisi More Pe, and Recall. He has also conducted corporate and public-school theatre workshops and worked as a Theatre Director with NDPL (TATA-DDL), Delhi.
Malik has directed numerous Ramlila productions across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and was awarded a Fellowship on Ramlila Tradition by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. His most celebrated production, Dastan-e-Ram, is a mega stage show based on the Ramayana in Urdu, incorporating Dastangoi, folk songs, shadow puppetry, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Nauha, Marsiya, and Soz Khwani, highlighting the pluralism and literary richness of the epic. Currently, he is working on Life and Legends of Lord Krishna – Indo-French Production.