New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) The Bharat Rang Mahotsav - the National School of Drama's annual theatre festival - will begin here Feb 1 with the theme "Breaking Borders".
Besides Indian theatre groups, theatre artists from 12 countries will participate in the 18-day event that will conclude Feb 18.
Sixty-nine plays will be performed on seven different stages, making for 150 performances that theatre aficionados can treat themselves to.
National School of Drama director Waman Kendre said the festival's theme was not touching about the contentious border issues, but was working at a broader framework of creating flexibility in our state of performing arts.
"These divides have to break for the theatre to flourish at the performing stage," he said Wednesday.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma will inaugurate the festival which will open with Kendre's "Ghazab Teri Adaa" at the Kamani Auditorium. Eminent stage actor Om Puri will be present as the chief guest.
Plays from countries like Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Norway, Germany and Bangladesh will also be staged during the festival.
Also, for the very first time, the festival will be travelling to four Indian cities - Agartala, Jabalpur, Aurangabad and Panaji - during these days. Five plays each will be staged in every city.
"This is another barrier we are breaking with this initiative. The audience there would be able to witness the best of theatre," said Kendre.
The festival will also pay tribute to theatre luminaries like Shambhu Mitra, Begum Akhtar and Veenapani Chawala.
Kendre's one of the favourite project "Living Legend Series" will also be inaugurated at the festival, where Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj, eminent photographer Raghu Rai and writer Krishna Sobti will interact with the audience.
"We plan to make this session a monthly affair where people from all walks of life will come and talk about their journey," said Kendre.
For the first time institutions like - Lalit Kala Akademi, Sahitya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi and other cultural bodies - are associated with the event.
In another attempt to be in tune with times, the tickets for the festival will be available online and would be released in a three-phase manner for the convenience of the audience. Tickets are priced between Rs.50 to Rs.200.
If Imran Khan's government falls, then what will happen next in Pakistan?
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is going through the most difficult phase of his political career. The no-confidence motion of the opposition is not letting them breathe a sigh of relief. Today
COVID-19: 16 Gathering Coronas Positive In Noonh, Stir In 12 Villages For 12 Days
Nooh: Nooh district of Haryana is emerging as a new hotspot of corona virus. On Tuesday, 16 new cases of corona infection occurred in Noonh on the same day. The number of corona patients has now
India helps clear blocked Kathmandu airport
Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) India on Thursday helped clear the runway at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport which was blocked by a foreign aircraft following a crash-landing accident on
Russia-Ukraine war: Putin arrives on Iran tour amid war, now Russia's target is Ukraine's Mykolaiv city
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which started on February 24, has been going on for 5 months, but it does not seem to be ending or any solution on it. America stands together to help Ukraine
Festival to mark 232nd anniversary of Khalsa rule
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) will host a two-day festival commemorating the 232nd anniversary of the establishment of Khalsa Panth rule, the
West Bengal: NCC bans recruitment of new cadets, explains this big reason
NCC Freeze fresh NCC Cadet Recruitment in West Bengal: NCC i.e. National Cadet Corps (NCC) has banned the recruitment of new cadets in West Bengal. The National Cadet Corps has currently taken this
Obama-Modi Vision Document: Shedding of India's Strategic Inhibitions?
New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) The visit of US President Barack Obama to India not only resulted in both countries overcoming their six-year deadlock over the civil nuclear deal but also the emergence
Shamshera Poster: Ranbir Kapoor's look in the film 'Shamshera' is quite creepy! did you see
Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor, and Sanjay Dutt starrer 'Shamshera' is one of the much-awaited films of the year 2022. Seeing its craze among the audience, the makers recently released its teaser. At the
National Herald Case: ED issues fresh summons to Sonia Gandhi, asks her to appear on July 21
Sonia Gandhi Summoned By ED: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has been summoned by the ED for questioning on July 21. This inquiry is to be done in the National Herald Money Laundering Case. Before
BJP's CM candidate in Kerala will be 'Metro Man' Sreedharan, party was held last week
Kerala Assembly Election: E Sreedharan, popularly known as Metro Man, will be the Chief Ministerial candidate in Kerala from the BJP. Soon it will be formally announced by the BJP. E Sreedharan's