National level theatre returns to Kashmir after three decade hiatus
Srinagar: National theatre returned to Kashmir after three decades with popular plays such as Girish Karnad’s Naagmandal being performed as part of a three-day festival here.
The 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav, which started on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar, has come as an opportunity for theatre groups in the valley to learn and grow, local artistes feel.
“This theatre festival has been organised by the National School of Drama, New Delhi. This year, it has decided to organise it all over India in different cities and now, it is being organised in 10 cities. We are fortunate that this year, Srinagar was also chosen as a venue for the festival,” said Bhawani Bashir Yasir, who has acted in Bollywood films ‘Haider’ and ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, said.
While Naagmandal was on Friday performed by the Dehradun-based Eklavya Theatre group, Triyatra, written by O Henry, Gagan Mishra and Maxim Gorky, is scheduled for Saturday and it will be performed by Jaipur-based Curio. On Thursday, Kunju Chanchlo, written by Narsingh Dev Jamwala, was performed the Jammu and Kashmir-based Unison Culture Troup.
Yasir, a prominent writer and theatre artiste, said theatre in Kashmir has faced a big setback in the last 30 years as no national festival was held in the Kashmir Valley.
“Unless we interact and observe theatre actors of other cities, who are much advanced than theatre actors of Kashmir, we cannot grow. So, for every theatre artiste, observation, interaction and exchange of experience of the theatre is a must. We learn from each other,” he added.
Yasir said the plays being performed here will give a new perspective to local artistes. “We don’t have opportunities to watch plays of national standard. We are doing theatre plays here which are of an amateur level,” he said.
Professor Shantanu Bose of the National School of Drama said this is the first major initiative by the institute after the Covid pandemic.
“We are lucky that we are able to do it in Jammu and Kashmir. We have selected 80 plays out of 700 entries, out of which three plays are being performed in Srinagar. I am very sure these plays will benefit the whole country and Jammu and Kashmir also,” he said.
“This is definitely a new spring, and I hope, we will be doing many many activities about theatre. People will participate in it as Kashmir has a very long theatre tradition,” Bose said.
Abdul Latif Khatana, a theatre expert and former professor, said organising these plays in Kashmir will bring life to the theatre culture in the Valley.
“The National School of Drama conducted this festival first at the national level, then international level. So, obviously these interactions bring change and experience to the artistes … this will help artistes of Kashmir to grow,” he said.
Paramjit Singh, a member of the Eklavya Theatre group, said the audience liked its presentation.
“Our experience has been very good, everyone was very cooperative. Interaction is very important and like we show our culture through our plays, this is how other states know about our culture,” he added.
Press Trust of India
