Theatre festivals are the fancy of many. The stage that tells a story, emotive actors playing a plethora of characters, the lighting, and the ambience enveloped in pin drop silence — theatre enthusiasts never miss an opportunity to catch up on an interesting play.
With Nehru Centre organising the 21st Theatre Festival, theatre lovers will be able to watch eight plays in different languages. Plays from directors like Atul Pethe, Nadira Babbar, Suresh Sharma, Yazdi and Mehernoosh Karanjia, Manoj Shah, Kewal Dhaliwal, Saish Deshpande and Subhash Dangayach. Plays like Samajswasthya (Marathi), the Hindi language play Paramveer Chakra — Heroes of the Nation, which is tribute to war heroes; the Urdu language Maulana, the Parsi-Gujarati play Behram Ni Sasoo, which will take the audiences to a Parsi household, Karl Marx in Kalbadevi, which is an English language play, Dulla Bhatti (Punjabi), Vedharan (Konkani) and Ek Aur Dronacharaya (Hindi) will be shown in the seven-day festival.
Sharing more about the theatre festival, L. A. Kazi, director of culture at Nehru Centre, says that there is no theme surrounding the festival. “In the past, we have presented the best works of directors of national and international repute along with budding creators,” he says. His plans for his year’s curated festival are along the same lines. “This year as well there is no particular theme for the festival, though selection criteria was adopted to select the plays. Theatre experts were consulted to find best plays for the festival,” he elaborates.
A still from Behram Ni Sasoo
The Nehru Centre organises a variety of programmes and activities for the promotion of art and culture, in pursuance of its objective of encouraging talents in the field of science and performing of fine arts. These programmes/activities include lectures, quiz contests in science, seminars, symposia on topics of contemporary relevance, art exhibitions, thematic festivals, lecture-demonstrations, workshops and contests in the performing arts, said Nehru Centre officials.
Interestingly, the festival is free of charge for patrons and entry is on complimentary passes/entrance cards on first come-first- served-basis. “We are enthralled by the increase in response to the festival every year. It has helped a great deal in keeping the theatre tradition going in the city,” said L. A. Kazi.
The Nehru Centre had recently celebrated silver jubilee of its annual Marathi Sangeet Natak Mahotsava by producing and presenting two of its own Marathi Nataks in the 25th edition of Marathi Sangeet Natak Mahotsava, 2017. The Mahotsava was well attended and appreciated by sangeet and natak lovers. Nehru Centre has to its credit of producing 11 Marathi Sangeet Nataks so far.
The festival will be from September 13 to 20, 6.30 pm every day,
At Nehru Centre Auditorium
Contact: 24933340/ 24964676
