International Drama Festival-16thBharat Rang Mahotsav 2014

28122013

Capital wakes up to another Celebration of Drama with International Drama Festival-16^thBharat Rang Mahotsav 2014

-ࠠࠠʼ/span>16^th Bharat Rang Mahotsav to highlight various faces of Indian Theatre

-ࠠࠠʼ/span>16^th Bharat Rang Mahotsav travels to Imphal and Guwahati

New Delhi, December 27, 2013: The cold winds are whistling between the window panes, and the sun is not tiring from its mischievous game of hide and seeks, the city is under a mystic spell of the famous Delhi winters and the fog has completely turned the citizens into a bit more Eskimo looking attires. It is that time of the year when DelhiⳠweathers have seemingly frozen the human souls and their lively spirits. The city is under a wintry spell and after welcoming the New Year with zest and zeal itⳠtime Delhi looks up to celebrate the warmth of life and human emotions. ItⳠtime again to warm up Delhiites souls with the drama of human emotions. ItⳠtime for Bharat Rang Mahotsav.

The National School of Drama rings in 2014 with its annual drama extravaganza in the form of International Festival of Drama – the 16th Bharat Rang Mahotsav. Commencing from the 4th of January and culminating on 19th January, 2014, this yearⳠInternational Drama Festival highlights the various faces of Indian theatre and brings to the capital 71 performances by renowned theater groups from different parts of India and the world on same platform so that theater aficionados as well as common men can watch and be entertained and enriched by their performances.

This year, theatre groups from 17 states, representing all the four regions of the nation East, West, North South will stage their performances on this international platform. Even countries like Srilanka, Japan, Israel, China, Poland and Germany which are steeped in theatre culture, brings in seven performances in this yearⳠinternational festival. The festival will feature a complete kaleidoscope of various theatre styles starting from Classical, including Modern, Western and finishing in Folk Theatre; thus showing all the different faces of Indian Theatre to the audience. If this was not all, Bharat Rang Mahotsav this time highlights traditional folk theatre from about every part of the country bringing 11 performances from folk & traditional theatre, making it the ultimate platform of interaction and education of theatre.

Prof. Waman Kendre, NSD Director, says, エarat Rang Mahotsav is not only about urban theatre but it also focuses on the rural and traditional theatre. Hence, NSD being the apex theatre institution of the country is reaching out to every nook and corner of the country where drama and theatre exists and survives. With such exchange of knowledge and culture NSD aims to be the ultimate platform of theatre and cultural exchanges in theatre not only in India but with other countries as well where theatre is alive.伯span>

As a parallel festival, Bharat Rang Mahotsav this year goes out to the exotic North East with 6 plays this year.NSD this year touches the hearts of Imphal and Guwahati with 3 international plays (from Israel, Japan and Sri Lanka) and 3 Indian plays which includes a Tamasha. This parallel festival will be on from 9^th January, 2014 to the 16^th January, 2014.

Shri Ratan Thiyam, Chairperson, National School Of Drama Society says, ㉮tegrating theatre from all parts of the nation and also taking it to varied audience has been an integral part of the vision of NSD for Bharat Rang Mahotsav. North East has a culturally rich and potentially strong theatre movement. Missing Bharat Rang MahotsavⳠpresence in the region will be a loss to the art and culture lovers of North East. Hence, the parallel festival is targeted in the North East this year.伯span>

Apart from the theatre shows, Bharat Rang Mahotsav this year will also be bringing the national theatre luminaries and their international counterparts together on one platform. With this aim NSD has planned two seminars this year where ideas will be exchanged freely and thoughts on topics like ᇬobal Exchanges, Local Encounters⠡nd on ᕳe & Abuse of Tradition in TodayⳠTheatre⠷ill be discussed at length. Meet the directors an open forum for the audience to interact with the directorⳠand Dr Kamlesh Datt Tripathi interacts with K.N. Panicker will also be some of the major interactive session in BRM 2014.

As part of Interactions on New Writings in Theatre, this year BRM 2014, will see the launch of a book by Mahesh Dattani ፥ & My Plays⠰ublished by Penguin India along with book reading session by various eminent authors like Surendra Verma, Pratap Sehgal, Mannu Bhandari and Asghar Wajahat are part of the festival. NSD this year has also planned a poster and photographic exhibition on in house Shakespeare production throughout the festival period.  Film screening of films based on theatre experiences and theatre process by Sanjay Maharshi will also be one of the major attractions during the festival. Short films on mobile theatre of Assam, Nautanki, Grotowski workshop and The Making of King Lear adapted in Hindustani are catered for the audience.

Bharat Rang Mahotsav

The Bharat Rang Mahotsav was started a decade ago by the NSD in order to contribute to the growth and development of theatre across the country with the aim of providing a platform for theatre performances and interaction. From being a national festival that presented the work of some of the most creative theatre workers in India, it has grown into an international event, hosting theatre companies from around the world, and is today acknowledged as the largest theatre festival of Asia dedicated solely to theatre. In addition to the national and international performances that are staged during the Festival, the fare also includes exhibitions, installations, interactive sessions with directors and performers for the general public and professionals, a vibrant theatre caf鬊open forums and meetings and a shorter festival in another city to which some of the productions travel.