Delhi Plays

Writer : Dattprasad Shenai
Director : Balkrishna Narayan Gore
Group : Balkrishan Gore Paramparik Lok Kala, Dashaawtaree Natya Mandal Kawathi, Maharashtra
Language : Marathi
Duration : 90 Mins

Play

16th day of the Mahabharata war revolves around Karna. Although Karna faces an intense emotional conflict, he emerges as a great human being and warrior. A night before the beginning of Kurushetra war, Duryodhana appoints Karna as the new commander of Kauravas. Kunti requests Krishna to prevail over Karna, her first son, to fight on the side of the Pandavas and against the Kauravas. Krishna advises Kunti that she herself should speak to Karna. When Kunti meets Karna, he faces an emotional conflict. He is committed to Duryodhana but he assures his mother that the life of his brothers will be safeguarded. The story of this play highlights how Karna emerges as the greatest warrior Maharathi Karna in this difficult situation.

Form

Dashavatar is a famous folk theatre form of Maharashtra. Dashavatar originated in Karnataka, spread to Maharashtra, and finally established itself in Konkan. It does not have any written compilation; the dialogues of the play are natural and rejuvenating. Male actors play the role of female characters as well. Dashavatar is a local home training for the actor community. Having a stage and technical assistance is not a necessity for this form. It can be performed in streets, nearby roads, in an open courtyard or anywhere else. Various Dashavatar groups are preserving this tradition in Konkan region. They are working with total dedication and commitment to nurture this cultural tradition with enthusiasm, and without any govt. or industry support.

Director and Director’s Note

I, Balkrishna Narayan Gore, M.P.- Kavathi, Taluka Kudal, District- Sindhudurg Greets all of you, the  considerate viewers. ‘Dashavatar’ is an iconic folk art form of our Konkan region. In this, the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata are presented. Dashavatar folk art tradition is almost an ancient art dating back to the era prior to 800 years. Being the Dashavatar our lineage, the present generation is the ninth generation of that tradition, which has continued it even today. Dashavatar is a popular folk drama in Konkan, Maharashtra, and Goa states. In these regions, Dashavatara was earlier called Yakshagana. Keshav, Madhav, Mukund, Murare, Hari, Ram, Krishna, and Govind – these eight of our ancestors brought this art from Karnataka to Konkan in the form of Dashavatar, and I represent the ninth generation of this lineage. Me Balkrishna aka Dinesh Gore… It has been twenty years since I was associated with Dashavatar- performance. In this Dashavatari, I have been playing the roles of Ram, Krishna, Indra, Shankar, and Narad. Our Dashavatar has been performed in numerous National-International theatre festivals, organized in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain and Indore, Maharashtra’s Osmanabad, Dhule and Nashik, International Olympic Festival, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, West Bengal, Jammu-Kashmir. Our Balakrishna Gore Paramparik Lok Kala Dashavatari Natya Mandal Kavathi has been included in the Universal Talent Book of Records. Our group has received 52 awards at the state, national and international level. In the 22^nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav-2023, organized by the National School of Drama in Delhi, Balkrishna Gore Paramparik Lok Kala Dashavatari Natya Mandal Kavathi is going to present today- ‘Maharathi Karna’ under the ‘Dashavatar’. I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the esteemed audiences.

Writer: Srimanta Sankaradeva
Director : Bhoben Barbayan
Group : Uttar Kamalabari Satra Sankardev Kirsti Sangha, Majuli, Assam
Language : Brajawali (Old Assamese)
Duration : 120 mins

Play

Shri Ram Vijay (the conquests of Rama Chandra) is the only dated work of Mahapurusa Sankardeva written in the ultimate year of his life at the request of Chilaraya, the Commander in Chief and Minister of State, Kochbehar. It was first represented on stage in the Koch capital with Chilaraya’s men in different roles under the Master’s own direction. The story of Rama and Laksmana’s fights against Tadaka and other demons and the much wrathful Parasurama is taken in an abridged form from the Ramayana. The plot is however developed by Sankardeva in his own way with such originality in characterization.

Director

Adhyapak/guru Bhoben Barbayan is a fully dedicated sattriya artiste and a celibate neo-Vaishnava devotee residing at Uttar Kamalabari sattra (a Hindu neo-Vaishnava monastery) in Majuli, Assam. Since the 1980s, he has been working as a lead traditional artiste of different genres of sattriya dance, drama, and music. He also works at the same sattra as a director of Ankia Nat (a genre of one act play based on mythical stories) tradition. Apart from that adhyapak Barbayan has recently taken the responsibility of working as a conductor of sattriya music. Sri Barbayan teaches traditional sattriya dance, drama, and music every year to more than hundreds of students through the gurukul system.

Adhyapak Bhoben Barbayan was born in 1967 at a village called Uzuati in Majuli. At around the age of five, he was sent to Uttar Kamalabari sattra by his parents to grow up as a celibate neo-Vaishnava artiste/devotee. Since then, leaving behind all the family love and care, Barbayan has committed his whole life towards practicing and continuing the sattriya dance, drama, and music tradition.

Writer

A celebrated tradition of theatre in Assam with its abiding significance, Ankiya Bhaona emerged as a powerful audio-visual medium in the wake of the great Bhakti Movement in Assam during 15-16th Centuries. Introduced by Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568), the fountain-head of the Movement first by mounting the “Chihnayatra” in the later part of the 15th century, Ankiya Bhaona(as popularly known), is among the finest works of Sankaradeva with subtle combination of music, dance and drama. Envisaged as an audio-visual medium to reach out to the multitude with the message of Bhakti, Ankiya Bhoana with artistry and elegance inlaid in all aspect of its form and structure, came to stand the test of time and remained as a popular medium of healthy entertainment among the masses and a powerful instrument of social harmony.

Writer : Prof. Ramesh Chandra Das
Director : Natyashree Sudam Bisoy
Group : Utkal Sanskrutika Parishad, Koraput, Odisha
Language : Tribal & Odia
Duration : 1:33 Hrs.

Play

The present society is passing though a very crucial phase. Human beings seem to have lost their moral values and their activities are far from an ideological frame work of the society. This kind of trend of the society neither desirable nor beneficial to human beings. We do not attach any importance to the intellectualism being forwarded by forefathers. The present society sharply divided into categories. This is no way better than the colonial legacy practiced by the Britishers in India. Despite our materialistic advancement in the society our mind set still remorse very primitive and we have failed to recognize human values of the people. The present situation of the society posses of the real challenge to the people: a do or die situation.

This is really a crucial moment for all of us because we have to take the right decision at the right moment. The present Drama “BARANG NIBAS BHALA RANAKHETRA RE” is a very hummable attempt to dramatise the above state of affair of our society.

Director’s Note

This play “Barang Nibas bhala Ranakhetrare” was written by professor Ramesh Das in the year 1979. When it was First staged by Utkal Sanskrutika Parishad, Sunabeda at Civic Centre, Rourkela, I was acting as Village Nayak. At that time I was only 26 years old. Now I am 65 years old and still acting on the same role. This Drama is on Paraja Tribal. It is on their customs, traditions and life styles. This wonderful play was staged by well established organization, Utkal Sanskrutika Parishad, Sunabeda. I have been acting as an Actor since 1977 in that organization. When it celebrated its golden jubilee, the direction responsibility came to my shoulders. I took the responsibility and the play is being staged throughout the state with participation in different Mahotsavs. I thought it should be staged at National School of Drama (Bharat Rang Mahotsab) so that our young artist may be encouraged and Delhi audiences would judge a unique adivasi life style Drama from Odisha.

Director

Natya Shree Sudam Bisoyi started his acting career in the year 1965 when he was 11 years old. Now he is 65 years old but still he is acting tremendously. He is not any a theatre personality, he is acting in odia serials, films and is an All India Radio Artist as well. Also he has acted in more than 150 Dramas performances in state, National and International level drama Competitions. He has been honored with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy Award for acting in the year 2016. He started Directing Dramas in the year 1978 and has already directed more than 100 dramas with participation in numbers of state and national level drama competitions. He also wrote more than 100 dramas both in Odia and Hindi, staged in different Hindi Mahotsavs. He has been felicitated as Natya-Charya, Mancha Shiromani, Natya Shree, (Allahabad) Natya Bhushan (Cuttack Olympiad) and received Jayadev National award at Jayadev bhawan.

Writer

The writer Ramesh Das was an Odia Professor and retired from BJB College, Bhubaneswar. He started writing Dramas in the year 1975. His first Drama was ‘NISHIDDHYA ELAKAR KABYA’, staged in the state level LOKA NATAK MAHOTSAV in Rourkela in the year 1977 and awarded as the best script. Then he wrote ‘GOTIE BICHITRA NAKSHA’ staged in the same Mahotsav in 1978 and got lot of appreciations. Next year in 1979 he wrote a unique and wonderful Adivasi Drama “BARAG NIBAS BHALA RANAKHETRA RE” staged again in the same Mahotsav and begged almost all prizes and created history. Till today, the drama is staged number of times throughout the state. Professor Ramesh Das is awarded the Odisha Sahitya Academy Award for the script “BARANG NIBAS BHALA RANAKHETRA RE”.

Group

The Utkal Sanskrutika Parishad, Sunabeda was established in the year 1966. It is a pioneering, cultural and literary Organisation in the remote district of Odisha, striving to promote and preserve the glory of its history since its inception. It is a Leading Cultural Organisation and celebrated Golden Jubulee on 1st April 2016. It has staged more than 100 Dramas and participated in several states, National and international Drama Competions and Mahotsavs, begged lot of prizes number of times. It plays an important role in generating Drama Artists, Odia film and serial Artists, Writers and Directors. It is running an Odissi Dance Centre for kids and organised state level Drama Competitions too.

Playwright : Devidasa
Director : Keremane Shivananda Hegde
Group : Sri Idagunji Mahaganapati, Yakshagana Mandali (Kereman), Karnataka
Language : Kannada
Duration : 90 Mtns.

Play

Once upon a time the Gods of all realms conduct a Mahayajna- a large ritualistic gathering in Triveni Sangama which was presided over by Shiva- the Mahadev himself. Prajapati Daksha visits this event and claiming that he didn’t receive enough respects from Shiva (Ishwara), later arranges a Yajna crafted to defame his son in law Shiva and Dakshayani.

Dakshayani notices masses of people and creatures, get to know about the great event of “DakshaYajna” at her parents’. Despite opposition from Shiva she arrives there without invitation only to know the truth of the situation; ashamed and angry she burns her body in her Yoga-agni.

Shiva upon learning death of his wife, smashes his matted hair to the earth in a fierce dance (PralayaTandava) from which ‘Veerabhadra’ is born; who then goes on to destroy Daksha. Upon submission, Daksha is revived with goat’s head and Yajna Narayana appears upon completion of the ritual, blessing the world; he declares the Hari-Hara Tatva – the non-duality of Gods.

Director’s Note

Written by the ancient Yakshagana poet Devidasa, Dakshayajna is a popular traditional story from Bhagavata Purana. Traditionally, this Prasanga (act) has been performed mostly with dialogue for long hours. I have re-developed this production with emphasis on Dance, drama, acting and other instruments of theatre beyond just verbal communication. I have tried to consolidate otherwise loosely held story around the core idea of depicting diversity and promoting unity of gods especially that of Hari and Hara.

Along with new music instruments of native Shaiva temples, shlokas and unique usage of Tere (traditional handheld curtain) for Tandava entry of Shiva etc., are indeed a transformative experience. The traditional space animation of Veerabhadra’s, breaking the 4 th wall and story re-telling, vivid colours, bringing Gods near to human life, the traditional technique of contemporary conversation – of Shiva and Parvati as a couple, and other elements of a Yakshagana performance is enhanced and retained. Filled with the Rasas of Raudra, Veera, Shringara, Hasya and Veebhatsa, Dakshayajna is a unique re-production of the classic.

Director

A BA and having Diploma in Choreography, Keremane Shivananda Hegde is the present Director of the Mandali and a versatile performer, choreographer, Guru and cultural organizer. He is running his family troupe (Yakshagana repertory) and the Yakshagana Gurukula (the Training Center) – "Srimaya Yakshagana Kala Kendra" at along with various socio-cultural programs at Mandali's Art Centre in the remote village of Gunavante, Honnavar Taluk of Coastal Karnataka.

Coming from a great lineage of noted Yakshagana artists, Shri Hegde was introduced to Yakshagana when he was 12 years old. He toured all over India with the troupe Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography, Bangalore, Natya Ballet Centre and Indian Revival Group, New Delhi. The constant guidance of his highly impressive grandfather and father and Guru Dr.Maya Rao, molded his elegant career in the field of Yakshagana. He has performed in all over India and abroad including the USA, England, Sri Lanka, France, Spain, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippine, Laos, and Myanmar.

Apart from performing Yakshagana in India and abroad, he has exposed himself to modern theatre too. He did act in many Tele-serials, films, and directed a number of dance dramas. Being one of the leading artists of Yakshagana and also Director, Choreographer of the troupe, he has proved himself as an exemplary actor, writer as well as an organizer with clear vision and mission. His noted works and projects like “Aatave Pata” (project for school children), “Bhasam” (Study and Research of Yakshagana Bagavatike), 'Masada Aata' etc have been highly praised by the veteran Yakshagana artists, art critics and scholars. Sri Hegde writes to leading magazines and local newspapers on various aspects, especially that of art and culture.

He received Nadoja Shri H.L.Nage Gowda JANAPADA SHREE Award on 12 March 2022, Ajitashri National Award for lifetime achievement -2018, Aryabhata International Award-2016 and many more. He participated in APPEX WORKSHOP organized by University of California, Los Angeles, USA, in 1996.

Group

Yakshagana is a rare 500 year old operative art form which belongs to our rich Indian heritage originating in Karnataka. It is a combination of dance, drama, music, dialogues and stories taken from Indian epics and mythology. Sri Idagunji Mahaganapati Yakshagana Mandali, KeremaneR was established in 1934 by my grandfather Shri Keremane Shivarama Hegde. It started as a humble effort by a bunch of like-minded artists to perform and propagate Yakshagana in the locality. Later in the leadership of my father and now under my leadership, Mandali has broadened its horizons and is creating milestones in the field of performing arts and Indian culture.

This Mandali is a non-profit NGO, it has been conducting a spectrum of socio-cultural activities other than regular performances, which have had far reaching consequences in the society. The performing unit of our organization has toured extensively in India and abroad i.e. USA, England, Spain, Bahrain, France, China etc. Keeping a balance between tradition and creativity in performance Mandali has attracted both common mass and intellectual group. Many awards and recognitions have been conferred to the Mandali from all over the world, the prestigious Raja Mansingh Tomar Award conferred by MP Govt. being the most recent year.

The motto of the Mandali has been Shikashana (Education), Rakshana (Protection and Fostering) and Prasarana (Propagation) of art and culture.

Writer and  Director:  Jeetrai Hansda
Group : Maidi’s Artist Association of Tribal, Jharkhand
Language : Santhali
Duration : 90 Mtns.

Play and Director’s Note

Jugi Triyao is a play that examines the real state of the male dominated society of our country. The play is based on santhal tribe myth or a folklore of tribe community. In this play I wanted to search real bonding or communication of the family or society. The Jugi is eaning saint, is staranger to outer world of the society. Triyao eaning flute. When he plays the flute than music comes out very sweetly and men, women, children and animal are attracted towards that sound. He feels the change in people’s behavior after making a flute for them with a kind of bamboo. He feels someone there, and wake up her. She asks about all the accident happened to them. Through this play I feel there was lot of dramatic things in this, and try to raise the identity of human right, women freedom, peace and grety.

Writer and  Director

Jeetrai Hansda is an alumnus  of National School of Drama New Delhi- Batch- 2012. He was born and brought up in village of Jharkhand name Dibadih. Dibadih is a historical place of freedom fighters named Diba and Kisun. A remote village of Jharkhand. He started his schooling at Matkambera and graduated from Ranchi University. He started his artistic activities from child hood. Because he is a tribal boy, and in tribal communities, art is in blood and veins, therefore someone said, ‘walking is dance, talking is songs’. He participated in artistic events from very childhood on different occasions. During his lifetime, he wrote many drama, film and poetry in santhali language. He organised many theater workshops, theater festivals and choreographed many folk dances and events. He directed dramas like Hopon mai, Birsa haa Kukmu, Lowa Bili, U-235, Urgum Lugdi, Johar Jharkhand, Aakhada, Sling shot, Pandu Sakam etc; Dance dramas like Rhythm of Jharkhand; events like Sarjom Baa and Samwad; Films like Tata Korondih, Lota daa-h, Guru Gomkeya Kukmu.

He attended many national and international theater festivals and worked with the theater directors like Anuradha Kapoor, Robin Das, Hema Singh, Santanu Bose, Amitesh Grower, Abhilash pillai,  Anny ruth, Neil freser, Peter cook, Prasanna, H. Kanhailal ect.

Group

Maidi’s Artist Association of Tribal, Bagbera jatajhopri, Jharkhand was established in 1992 in the memory of Late Maidi Hansda, an art lover and curator of art. We are inspired very much by her work, therefore we established the oraganisation in the name of Maidi’s Artist Association of tribal. Since its inception we are working in the field of art, culture and literature. We believe that art,culture and literature are big tool for us to make intigration, peace and harmony. The group has 29 year- experience to ogranise theatre festivals, theatre workshops, literary meet and public awarnece programmes and other events as well. The organization has worked with song and drama division, East Zone Culture Centre, District Public Relation Office, east Singbhum, Unicef and other local non govt. organizations. We have participated in many regional and national, prestigious theatre festivals, like Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Meta, Janaberi, Rang Swadhinta, Sangeet Natak Academy and Abhinaya Theatre Festival with plays like Hopon Mai, Birsa Haa Kukmu, Urgum Lugdi, Lowa Bili, Sling Shot, U-235 etc.

Adaptation and Director : Arpita Ghosh
Playwright : Bertolit Berecht
Group : Pancham Vaidic, Kolkata
Language : Bengali
Duration : 145 Mns.

Play

“Vitton” is adapted from the play “Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht (1941). The play chronicles the rise of a fictional mobster, Vitton, and his achievement of ultimate power by mobilising politics, media and local business community and ruthlessly disposing the opposition. The play is believed to be a satirical allegory of the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany prior to World War II.Brecht had narrated incidents which resembled similar events during that period. The local gangster, Vitton, cherishes to become powerful with money, muscle and political power. He established his power through local political leaders and media by extortion, blackmail and atrocities. Vitton threatened common people for his forceful protection.He created fear among innocent commoners with his outrage and gained the desired “power”. The play ends with the message of the overshadow of Money, Muscle and Power over diaphanous politics, illustrating how fascist takeovers can happen anywhere in the world.

Director’s Note

The original text from where we have adapted Vitton Brecht wrote in 1941 before 2nd world war named ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’. It is a satirical allegory of the rise of Hitler. Basically it is a story of a gangster who controlled cauliflower racket by ruthlessly disposing of the opposition.

We have adapted this play in today’s context. Actually we have followed the outline of the original text. In this play we tried to show the Criminalisation of Politics. In India we have seen that Political Parties are using Criminals for mischievous jobs. Here in the play VITTON, the character Vitton finally becomes a Political Leader by ruthlessly disposing of his opposition. There are gang-wars too in the play. By staging this play we have actually questioned the present Political System.

Director

Arpita Ghosh is a eminent theatre director, actor and dramatist in Bengali theatre. Arpita Ghosh is associated with theatre since 1998. She joined Bengali theatre group Fourth Wall and acted in two major plays of the group. From January 2000 She joined PanchamVaidic in the Pancham Veda Charjashram which is a one year training course on theatre .After that She introduced as an actor of PanchamVaidic. Within a few years She proved herself as a dramatist and Director. She has directed about 20 plays including ‘HaJa Ba Ra La’, ‘Ghater Katha’, ‘Ghare-Baire’, ‘Ebong Debjani’, ‘Maachi’, ‘KharirTeer’ ‘Hayavadana’ (jointly directed with Debesh Chattopadhyay) etc. As a writer, she penned down about 15 adaptations and translations including ‘Rajnaitik Hatya,’ ‘Poshukhamar’, ‘A-parajita’, ‘Astomito Madhyanha’, “Vitton” etc. She acted in a handsome number of plays like Bitato Bitangsa, Pashu Khamar, Amodito Roddur, ‘Antigone’.

Among many awards, she has received Satya Bandyopadhyay Smriti Purashkar for the year 2005 as Best Actress for her works in “Rajnaitik Hatya?”, “Shyamal Sen Smriti Purashkar”, “Sambhu Mitra Award” by the Government of West Bengal in 2014 for overall contribution to Bengali Theatre.

Scenographer

Born in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, Debesh has been working in the filed of theatre for the last thirty years. He is the founder and director of “Sansriti”. He has directed over 40 plays in Bengali. “Winkle Twinkle”, “Devi Sarpomasta”, “Phataru”, “SaudagorerNouka” are milestone productions on the Bengali stage directed by Debesh. He is a well acclaimed theatre academic and expert, and has completed a senior fellowship on “Cognitive Neuroscience and Theatre”. “The Week” magazine felicitated him as one of the ‘Fifty emerging stars of India’ in 2003. Debesh has been honoured by Pashchimbanga Natya Academy (Govt. of W.B.) as “Best Director” twice. Film Critic Circle of India (FCCI) honoured him as the best debut director of 2015 for his film. Currently he is working on “Natyashastra”. Girish Ghosh Samman, the highest state award in theatre, was given to Debesh by Govt. of W.B. (I&CA) in 2019.

Group

Pancham Vaidic theatre group was started in 1983 by the leading actor/director Padmasree Saoli Mitra. The legendary couple of Indian theatre Padmabhushan Late Sombhu Mitra & Padmasree Tripti Mitra were among the founder members of the Group. The Group’s first production was “Nathavati Anaathavat”, a solo acting by Saoli Mitra.

Pancham Vaidic had set up a theatre institute, Panchamveda Charyashram, a centre to impart training in all aspects of theatre in 1984. Students here learn the language of the body, attempt at experiments with voice and speech, and try to imbibe the idioms of theatre. There are classes on the origin and history of drama as well as elementary science also. The training is without any cost to the students. The workshops are led by eminent personalities from theatre world spearheaded by Arpita Ghosh, the able disciple of Saoli Mitra. Pancham Vaidic proudly continues its theatre journey by consistently producing popular plays every year.

Director : Vansh Bhardwaj, Ramanjit Kaur
Writer : Vansh Bhardwaj
Group : The Creative Arts, Kolkata
Language : Hindi
Duration : 70 Mtns.

Play

The play deals with human desires. The play explores the desires of women characters of the Mahabharata – the desires of love, ambition, power, education and ambition for their children. While Gandhari wails over the dead bodies of her hundred sons and curses Krishna with the destruction of the Yadava Clan along with Krishna himself, The two queens of King Shantanu, Ganga and Satyavati, talk about their respective marriage, love, desires.The stories of Amba, Ambika and Ambalika, the three beautiful princess is also addressed, how they were objectified and wronged by the society’s patriarchal ways. Different shades of Draupadi are brought to the forefront with different scenes.. Cheerharan scene of Draupadi in the Kaurava’s court is followed by a scene where Draupadi vows to seek revenge by bathing her hair in Duryodhanas and Kaurava Clan’s blood and manages to achieve the same as shone. Stories of some strong characters from ancient times i.e Chitrangada, Kunti, Shikhandi, Ahilya & Gautam Rishi, Iravan- Arjun’s illegitimate son are also depicted. Conversations between Krishna and his Consciousness tries to retrospect the journey of the Mahabharata war. Krishna also shows hope and light at the end of the dark tunnel. There are self realisations and wisdoms and the ultimate truth being that everything born, dies too.

Director’s Note

National Award winning and Internationally acclaimed all-women Theatre group brings to you its New Production which deals with human desires… All of us have millions of desires within us – desire of love, desire to have children, sexual and sensual desires, desire of blind ambition and power, desire of peace. The play gets its inspiration from the Mahabharata and delves into the world of desires through its myriad women characters, Krishna and others. It explores how the intensity of desires drives us and our destiny. And wonders where they take us – do they take us towards misery and destruction or happiness and peace.

Director

Ramanjit Kaur is an International award-winning Theatre and Film Actor /Director, National Vice President of Arts Leadership Council, Women Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) and founder of The Creative Arts Academy, India. She has trained in Theatre under the tutelage of Guru Padmashree Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry and has represented her country globally in prestigious Theatre and Arts Festival. She founded the All-Women Theatre troupe in 2011. She focuses into engaging children and adults in theatre, implementing cutting edge techniques and grounded research methods, for developing original scripts and productions. Recently,her production ‘Beyond Borders’ with All-Women Theatre Group has received the India-Ireland Connecting Cultures Grants.

She was honoured with some prominent National and International awards which include Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Sanskriti Award, Uttam Kumar Award, Laadli National Award for Gender Sensitization, French Embassy Scholarship, France, Charles Wallace Award, UK.

Playwright

Vansh Bhardwaj is an actor and director with an outstanding oeuvre of his own. He completed his Masters in Dramatic arts from Panjab University and received a gold medal in the same. He is the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar in 2008. Vansh has worked as an actor and director in productions of theatre companies including The  Company, Ranga Shankara, Holy Theatre, Abhinet, Dark Matter and The Creative Arts Academy. He has also made his mark as a powerful actor in cinema, some of which include Kesari (2019), Udta Punjab (2016) , Anatomy of Violence (2016), the critically acclaimed Midnight’s Children (2012) and Heaven on Earth (2008).

Group

The Creative Arts (TCA) was established in 2002 with a dream and motive to create awareness about and give formal and systematic Theatre training to children and adults. TCA uses the medium of Theatre to develop the participant’s imagination and personality.

TCA’s vision is to collaborate with artists from various fields Nationally and Internationally to explore different genres of Theatre, especially Site-Specific Theatre. In April, 2010 TCA launched its own Studio Theatre in Kolkata. In 2012, TCA launched its ALL-WOMEN THEATRE GROUP that comprises women from various backgrounds – homemakers, teachers, fashion designers, jewellery designers, dancer, choreographer, arts and crafts person, interior designers etc. The women’s group has done Award winning ‘Baawre Mann KeSapne’, ‘Simayon Se Parey’, ‘Khatti Imli Meethe Ber’, ‘Burning Bubbles’, ‘beyond borders’, ‘The Dice of Desire’. The group received LAADLI National Award for Gender Sensitisation in 2015.

Among other innumerable performances, The group has performed at the prestigious theatre festivals including Bharat Rangmahotsav and 8th Theatre Olympics, NCPA, Mumbai, Bratyajan International Festival, Star Theatre, Kolkata, International South Asian Conference, Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, International Archeological Conference, Indian museum, Kolkata and  Old World Culture Festival at India Habitat Centre, Delhi and on the invitation of ICCR, Colombo and SAARC, at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Director : Shri  Koushik Sen
Group : Swapnasandhani, Kolkata, W.B.
Language : Bangali
Duration : 90 Mtns.

The Play

Dr. Rukhsar Ahmed, a psychiatrist is visited by a young man named Ritwik and his wife Sharmila. Ritwik deals with severe and vivid hallucinations which connects him to painter Vincent van Gogh and his paintings, especially The Starry Night. Along with Ritwik, the play unfolds on the other hand excerpts from the life of Vincent van Gogh and shows how his crisis almost parallels the crisis faced by Ritwik in today’s world. Ritwik questions his own reality and the reality of his surroundings. He longs to visit that alternate reality that lies in the paintings.

Director’s Note

Srijato Bandyopadhyay’s novel ‘Taarabhora Aakasher Neechey’ in spite of being acomplicated piece of work has given us enough spare to explore the language of Theatre. This beautifully written novel questioned and explored concepts of sanity and insanity. People with high level of sensitivity may exhibit a diversity that is misunderstood by Culture. In this play, the character of Vincent van Gogh plays a vital role, but this play is not solely restricted to celebrating the undeniable genius of the painter, rather it deals with the question of ‘sanity’ and ‘insanity’, our deep-rooted insecurities and fears in the contemporary times.

Director

Koushik Sen is an acclaimed theatre director of his time and a popular face in Bengali cinema and television. Over the course of his career, along with contemporary filmmakers he has started off his journey with legendary filmmakers Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha. Sen is one of the primary founders of his group Swapnasandhani (1992-present). He has worked in more than 60 films globally, and has been a part of over 50 plays, as an actor and as a director. Some of Sen’s most acclaimed plays include ‘Prachya’, ‘Dushman No.1’, ‘Bhalo Rakshash’er Galpo’, ‘Samudrer Mouno’, ‘Malyaban’, ‘Daakghar’, ‘Dorjiparar Morjinara’, ‘Thaana Theke Ashchhi’, ‘Macbeth’, ‘Nirbhaya’, ‘Antigone’, ‘Taraye Taraye’, ‘Ashwatthama’, ‘Ekla Chalo Re’.

Group

Swapnasandhani was formed in 1992 with late Sri Soumitra Chatterjee as the Founding President and late Sri Shyamal Sen as the Founding Secretary and so far, has staged 31 full length plays and 10 short plays.

Tiktiki, Prachya, Pratham Partha, Malyaban, Kolkata’r Electra, Dorjiparar Morjina, Samudrer Mouno, Macbeth, Thana Theke Ashchhi, Drohokaal, Antigone, Nirbhaya, and Taraye Taraye are some of Swapnasandhani’s most popular productions.

So far, the group has participated 10 times in Bharat Rang Mahotsav (National School of Drama), 5 times in National Theatre Festival (Nandikar), once in Ninasam Festival, and once in the Theatre Olympics in 2018.

Apart from this, the group has been invited to several theatre festivals in Bangladesh, United States of America and in United Kingdom.

Director : Bhaskar boruah
Playwright : Jiten Sharma
Group : V Jalan Production, Guwahati
Language : Hindi
Duration : 67 Mns.

Play

The play starts in a club-house situated at the outskirts of a city, where the club-house members decide to perform a play on Srimanta Shankardev, focusing on his creations rather than religion.The club-house members face several hurdles and criticism but despite that they overcome the obstacles and continue with the rehearsals.

The play focuses on how Shankardev post his education at Mahendra Kandali’s Ashram, left to preach and inspire Bhakti Movement through art. He spoke about the connection of art with Spirituality and produced a dance-drama called “Cihna yatra”, a journey to seven heavens. How Madhabdev turned out to be his disciple.The way the king of Koch, Naranarayan, was impressed by his great knowledge and beliefs, and appointed him as the Royal Guru. While Shankardev rejected the honour and returned back to focus on socio-cultural reformation. Eventually, in the play during the rehearsals the club-members connect with the Great Man and his philosophy in a different light.

Director’s Note

The stories of Srimanta Shankardev are tales from Assam that influenced us as young children. But today, the way he is looked upon is not a complete imagery of this Great Man. Believed to be a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu; he was a creator beyond his time. His contribution towards music, dance, art, literature and drama made him an ultra-thinker and a great saint-scholar.

In our play “Shankardev”, we’ve tried to narrate the same through a realistic medium in which the present era’s performers act, discuss and exchange their views about these life events of the Great Man.

Director

Bhaskar Boruah is an upcoming playwright, director, actor trainer and theatre practitioner. He graduated from National school of Drama New Delhi in 2015, with specialization in acting. So far he has directed many stage plays like Junakir kothare ,Dhemalir kothare ,xastir xondhanat, Karna ittyadi, Monai, Teton tamuli, Bharmi, Ravan, Hamlet,Rjar deul ,Kekoni, Shankardev, Oi who am I? Mur pal aapunar pal tar pal, Kotha kua sobi.., Bonditta,Dul singa putola,Enikhar Apor,Lachit Borfukon etc. He established his group “JOONAK” (a group of little stars) in 2008. He has worked with acclaimed theatre directors from India and abroad. As an actor, he acted in 75 stage plays. He participates in 25 National/International theatre festivals. In 2016 he performed in a Hindi drama “Piya Behrupiya” in Shakespeare’s.

International theatre festival held in China and Serbia. He had also performed in Colombo international theatre festival in Sri Lanka in 2017.

Playwright

Group

V Jalan Productions was initiated in the year 2013 by Vivek Jalan, a practising C.A. to promote theatre, art and culture. Since its inception the group has staged plays like Bhagat Singh, Lachit Borphukon, Maharana Pratap, Mahamanthan, Kanaklata Baruah, Shankardev, and Lachit Borfukon. All plays staged by the group so far, have been based on the life of great legends of our country. The group also organises a solo acting theatre festival on an yearly basis.