New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) The National School of Drama's annual marquee event, 'Bharat Rang Mahotsav', began here on Tuesday with Rang Sangeet, a curation by NSD Repertory Company of great compositions by the stalwarts of theatre music over the last 60 years.
The theatre festival, considered the largest of its kind globally, was inaugurated by Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, actor Rajpal Yadav, NSD director Chittaranjan Tripathy, and other prominent figures from the theatre and film industries.
"Bharangam has been expanded in various cities in India as well as internationally. NSD has taken this celebration out of India at a time when our country's acceptance recognition of its music, its songs, yoga, ayurveda, and lifestyle is being written anew across the world. This initiative will reestablish India's Natya Shashtra, arts and culture on the global map once again," Shekhawat said.
The minister also launched the online NSD Library OPAC and ‘Rang Abhilekh’ - digital repository containing 25 significant plays directed by veteran theatre directors.
The 20-day festival will simultaneously run across 11 cities in India, including Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bathinda, Bhopal, Goa, Gorakhpur, Jaipur, Khairagarh and Ranchi. It will also be the first time that BRM is expanding its outreach globally by staging plays in Colombo and Kathmandu.
The festival will feature over 200 performances, including plays from Russia, Italy, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Taiwan, and Spain.
In addition, street plays, folk band, open stage, talks, and masterclasses will also take place in the national capital.
BRM 2025 will also feature a parallel student-led fiesta, 'Advitiya 2025', which gives NSD students an opportunity to connect with students from across disciplines, studying at other universities, and practicing performing arts.
A dedicated programme on literary arts, ‘Shruti’, will feature book launches and discussions on literature.
The drama school has also decided to expand ‘Rang Haat’ (theatre bazaar) with a competition where the top three plays will be sent to corporates that run theatre initiatives for further investment.
Last year, Bharat Rang Mahotsav secured a place in the World Book of Records, London for the "Largest Number of Artistic Performances on a Common Theme" by screening 1,585 plays on the closing day.
In an attempt to further the success, Bharangam will aim to secure a place in the Guinness World Records. NSD has invited theatre enthusiasts from across the world to send virtual performances of short plays.
The short plays of 5-10 minute length will be on their interpretations of the "Natya Shashtra", the treatise on performing arts that is believed to have been written more than 3,000 years ago.
Apart from the plays selected by a jury of 60 theatre veterans, tributes will be paid to stalwarts like Habib Tanvir, Dharamvir Bharti, and Mohan Rakesh by staging their famous productions, including “Agra Bazar”, “Kanupriya”, and “Adhe Adhure”, respectively.
The theatre festival will come to a close on February 16.