All Plays

ANDHA YUG

Director                : Akhilesh Narain

Writer                 : Dharamvir Bharati

Group                 : Eklavya, Uttarakhand

Language              : Hindi

Duration               : 80 Mint.

Date                                    : 03 Feb. 2025

Play : ANDHA YUG

Andha Yug highlights the perils of self-enchantment in an anti-war allegory. It explores human capacity for moral action, reconciliation, and goodness in times of atrocity and reveals what happens when individuals succumb to the cruelty and cynicism of a blind, dispirited age.

When a ruler, epitomized by a blind Dhritarashtra (physically and also by his ambition for his son Duryodhana), in an equally blind society fail its own side and that of their loved ones. It elaborates on the consequences, when a society fails to stop a cycle of revenge and instead choose a redemptive path, which is always available even in worst of scenarios. This is shown by Krishna’s presence amid the mindlessness of fellow human beings. It was only when they collectively reject the voice of wisdom that denigration of war step upon them, leading to wide-scale bloodshed.

The story hints at the perils that await a society that turns away from its wisdom culture and instead succumb to the logic of the moment that can be easily swayed by emotions. Bharati uses the war of Mahabharat to make an anti-war statement and raises questions regarding moral uprightness in the wake of Partition-related atrocities, loss of faith and national identity.

ANANTAGUNA SRI RAMCHANDRA

Director – Writer                         : Bijit Kumar Das

Group                                             : Third Theatre, Assam

Language                                       : Hindi

Duration                                        : 62 mins

Date                                                : 03 Feb. 2025

Play : Anantaguna Sri Ramchandra

Indian Culture is today world-renowned because of the epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata has an unprecedented impact on Indian culture. The lifestyle of Lord Sri Ramachandra has inspired us through the ages and the story of Ramayana continues to be circulated orally even today. Different art forms have developed on the Ramayana in different places. From the performing arts like dance, singing, acting etc., to terracotta and many art forms have been inspired by the Ramayana. Many a times themes the life story of Lord Ramchandra of Ramayana has been presented experimentally in a different form by art and has been successful. ‘Anantaguna Sri Ramachandra’ is a full-fledged play of this kind in which the Ramayana will be presented non verbally with the help of mime using Angika and Aharya abhinaya form of the Natyashastra. It has been given an exceptional look with the unprecedented applications of theater, lighting, etc. to innovate various folk music and background music and presentation to suit the place and time. The play has been made enjoyable, covering many notable parts of Lord Sri Ramachandra’s life.

AJAATSHATRU

Director                              : K. K. Raina

Writer                                 : Henrik Ibsen

Adaptation                          : Ila Arun

Group                                 : Surnai Theatre and Folk Arts Foundation, Mumbai

Language                            : Hindi

Duration                             : 145 Mins

Date                                    : 06 Feb. 2025

Play : AJAATSHATRU (An Adaptation Of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘An Enemy of the People’)

‘Ajaatshatru’ is a Hindi adaptation by Ila Arun of celebrated Norwegian playwright, father of modern drama Henrik Ibsen’s play ‘An Enemy of the People’. The play focuses on the burning problem of environmental disaster, air and water pollution confronting us today. The play highlights the dangers of lack of social responsibility and reckless business interest that force some business and political class to camouflage the problem for their political, business and vote bank politics. The play explores and addresses all the questions relating to this huge problem through a conflict between two brothers. One an enlightened doctor conscious of his medical and social responsibility, but unfortunately is in minority, and other a business man and politician who is supported by an ignorant powerful majority. The play focuses on the resolution of this conflict.

AGRA BAZAR

Director – Writer                 : Habib Tanvir

Group                                 : Naya Theatre, Bhopal, M.P.

Language                            : Hindustani

Duration                             : 130 mins

Date                                    : 13 Feb 2025

Play : Agra Bazar

In Agra, depression prevails over the bazaar and nothing sells,. A cucumber – seller feels that if he could get a poem witten about the qualities of his product, it would sell better. He approaches several poets but they turn down his request. Finally he goes to the poet Nazir who promptly obliges him He returns singing Nazir’s song about cucumbers and customers flock for his product. Other vendors – Ladduwala, The Tarboozwala, etc. follow suit and soon the whole bazaar is humming with Nazir’s songs. Around this main plot is woven the story of a young vagabond who pursues a courtesan and comes to a sticky end at the hands of his rival a police inspector, whom he has earlier shamed in this game of love.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

The Play is woven around Nazir Akbarabadi’s humanistic poetry and humanism is the theme of the play. Nazir a truly proletarian poet, often wrote on demand for vendors and traders, beggars and vagabonds, never caring to collect or publish what he wrote. His colloquialism and slang cut him off from the mainstream of Urdu poetry; his work was ‘discovered generations after his death by a change encounter of a literary man who was attracted by a beggar’s song. Some material was recovered from Nazir’s grand daughter and published in book form, thought much of the total corpus is now lost. Nazir never appears in Agra Bazaar as no authentic account of his life IS available. All we know is that the poet earned a modest living by giving tuitions to young children refusing invitations and commissions from well- wishers like the Nawab of Lucknow. The kite – seller’s shop where people gather and recite the plebeian poetry of Nazir serves as a counterpoint to the book shop opposite where the elitist values of court poetry are discussed in between flows the mainstream of life – with potters prostitutes, vagabonds, and do-nothings. This life, depicted so richly and abundantly in Nazir’s poetry, does not touch the book shop milieu and totally eludes the literature gathered there. Written and staged in 1954, Agra Bazaar was my first serous experiment integrating song with drama and rural actors with urban. Its first production 35 years ago included actors from the Jamia Milla intelligentsia – teachers and students -as well as villagers from nearby Okhla. The play was revived in 1970 with some Chhattisgarhi actors and again in 1976. The musical structure of the play is fundamentally the same as in 1954, with the exception of one or two songs, specially “Banjara Nama”, which was introduced in 1970, and for which music was composed by the Late Hukum Chand Khalili of Bhatinda, who also played the role of Fakir in the play

 NAYA THEATRE

Naya Theatre, Founded in 1959, is a professional touring theatre company that has been performing continuously across the length and breadth of India, as wellas in many places abroad. The company began in Delhi, but moved its base to Bhopal in the 90s. The core actors of Naya Theatre come from amongst the highly talented performers and singers of rural Chhattisgarh. However, Naya Theatre does not perform traditional or rural forms of theatre-from very early on, even before the group was established ; Habib Tanvir had begun experiments with language , from and most importantly a mix of urban and rural performers. The coming together of Tanvir and the Chhattisgarh artists eventually resulted in the creation of a unique. Modern Indian theatre idiom, which caught the imagination of the Indian Public with Charandas Chor in 1975 and has never quite released it since,

 HABIB TANVIR

Journalist, Playwright, Play Producer, Poet and Director, Habib Tanvir’s name is one of the most well known and respected names in the field of theatre. He was born on 1st September 1923 at Raipur, Madhya Pradesh (Now Chhattisgarh); having received his training in acting from RADA, London and in direction and production at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, United Kingdom (U.K.). He founded ‘Naya Theatre  in 1959 and continued to be its director this demise on 8th June 2009. In addition to being an active member of IPTA, Mumbai in his early days, he had also been an editor and drama critic. Some of his main production including Agra Bazaar, Mitti Ki Gadi, Charandas Chor, Jin Lahore Nahi Vekhya, Rajrakt and many more. Shri Tanvir was the recipient of numerous awards and felicitations such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Shikhar Samman for Drama, the Nandikar Award, the Fringe First Award, the Padmashri and the Padma Bhushan, amongst many others.

AGNISUTA DRAUPADI

Director                              : Joy Maisnam

Writer                                 : Mohan Joshi

Group                                 : Taam Manipur, Imphal, Manipur,

Language                            : Hindi

Duration                             : 90 mins

Date                                    : 05 Feb. 2025

Play : Agnisuta Draupadi

The play ‘Agni Sutaa Draupadi’ is a story of a female protagonist – Draupadi, the daughter of the mighty King Drupad. She came into existence when a Yagya was performed by the King with the desire to father a child who would grow up to seek revenge on his behalf. The Play unfolds through the eyes of Draupadi where she is found exploring and questioning the paradoxes and ironies of her life. Who is she? What is the purpose of her existence? Can she dictate her own destiny? Can she choose the role she wishes to play in her own life? Her quest is the key narrative around which the play revolves.

AGNI JOL

Director                              : Manoj Kumar Saha (Abir)

Writer                                 : Girish Karnad

Adoptation                         : Bibhash Chakrobarty

Group                                 : Nayabad Titas, WEST BENGAL

Language                            : Bengali

Duration                             : 130 mint

Date                                    : 12 Feb 2025

Play : AGNI JOL

An adaptation of Girish Karnad’s Agni Mattu Male, Agni Jol is a story drawn from myth and spun out of threads that create a resonating experience, chronicling a blood feud waged over knowledge and power, and the consequences that follow. Bent on avenging the lack of honor and recognition accorded to his father, Bharadwaj – honor and recognition which Bharadwaj’s brother, the sage Raibhya, received instead – Bharadwaj’s son, Javakri, after having attained knowledge and abilities of a cosmic scope, manipulates the destruction of Raibhya and of his family for the suffering the latter had imposed on the former: his sons, Arvasu, who has taken to the socially undervalued vocation of an actor, and Paravasu, who presides over the central event which is the yajna performed to invoke the god of rains, and Paravasu’s spouse, Visakha, who shares her own past with Javakri, a past which he exploits for his purposes. What unfolds is a plot filled with treachery and violence, leading to dire consequences befalling all the players concerned, including Arvasu’s companions in the theatre troupe, especially the manager and Nittilai, the individual of Arvasu’s love. Violence begets violence, as the pursuit of power and control leads to the dissolution of invaluable familial bonds both chosen and inherited and harm and oppression caused to the persecuted and the dispossessed, revealing the mechanism behind cyclical patterns of greed and apathy, and posing the puzzle of whether and how it is possible to break these cycles – whether and how it is possible to summon the rain in the face of engulfing flames.

ADINA-Soul of Last Word

Director                              : Oasis Sougaijam

Writer                                 : Polash Loing

Group                                 : Shipabhoomi, Assam

Language                            : Assamese

Duration                             : 70 mins

Date                                    : 15 Feb 2025

Play : ADINA-Soul of Last Word

This play powerfully explores the devastating effects of colonialism on indigenous communities, focusing on the Ragas and the Pangris, two hill tribes with deep cultural and linguistic roots. The narrative illustrates the destruction wrought by external forces seeking to exploit the land and its people for their resources.

The story begins with the harmonious coexistence of the Ragas and the Pangris, who share not only their land but also familial ties through intermarriage. However, the arrival of a colonial capitalist marks the beginning of their downfall. The capitalist, representing the larger, dominant force, seeks to exploit a rare resource hidden in the hills. By introducing modern materials, new religions, and languages, the colonial powers attempt to undermine the indigenous ways of life and impose their dominance.

The Ragas resist these changes, which sparks a deadly conflict between the two communities. The colonial tactics succeed in sowing division, leading to violence and ultimately the destruction of the Ragara community. The Pangris, although surviving, are forced to leave their homeland and migrate to an urban area. However, in the city, their language is incomprehensible to others, symbolizing the isolation and cultural loss they suffer.

The turning point comes when a man, who turns out to be the lost brother of one of the surviving members of the Pangris, understands their language. This reunion brings both sorrow and joy, as it highlights the profound loss of their community while also emphasizing the enduring connection that language and culture can provide, even in the face of near-total destruction.

The play is a poignant commentary on the erasure of indigenous languages and cultures by dominant groups. It underscores the importance of language as a vessel for cultural identity and the tragic consequences that ensue when it is lost. By showing the fate of the Indigenous people, the play warns of a future where the loss of language leads to the erasure of entire ways of life.

The use of music and physical expression likely amplifies the emotional impact of these themes, making the audience deeply feel the weight of cultural loss and the fragile hope of preservation through the characters’ experiences. The play not only serves as a reflection on historical and ongoing injustices but also as a call to recognize and protect the cultural and linguistic heritage that remains.

Director – Adaptation         : Shravan Heggodu

Writer                                 : Inspired by multiple novels and documentaries

Group                                 : Kalabhi Theatre, Karnataka

Language                            : Kannada

Duration                             : 100 minis

Date                                    : 01 Feb 2025

Play : A Friend Beyond The Fence

Eight-year-old Alex, the Son of a self-appointed Nazi officer, and Ethan, a Jewish boy of the same age, and Timbo, a baby elephant, are separated by a barbed wire fence in a concentration camp in Poland. The play revolves around a man who forgets the true nature of his family and enters into a deep friendship, resulting in gross injustice to them. The play is an inspired expansion of many fictional and real stories surrounding World War I, and attempts to portray the massacre of lives by the Nazi regime in Germany from the perspective of the minds of two innocent boys.

Director                              : Viren Basoya

Writer                                 : Viren Basoya & Sapna Basoya

Group                                 : Aawara Theatre Group, Mumbai

Language                            : Hindi

Duration                             : 90 mins

Date                                    : 12 Feb 2025

Play : 7:40 KI LADIES SPECIAL

This play is based on life story of Pooja Sharma, a transgender, who is also known as Junior Rekha and popular for her amazing dancing skills.

This story is untold journey of Pooja, before she got popular, it depicts 3 important life changing incidences of her life.

First is when she realizes that she is different from others and born into a wrong body since she feels otherwise.

Second is when she goes through horrendous experience and decided to leave family, hometown and moves to Bombay in search of herself.

Third is lifechanging incident when she gets acknowledged and respect for her skills and talent and not by gender for which she has been fighting for.

This story talks about unknown struggles of transgender people and how society reduces a person’s identity merely to its gender.

It puts light on dark truth behind the glamour and popularity which Pooja has today as she is still denied the basic human needs such as having a house.

Purpose of this story to make society aware about struggles of LGBTQ community and change the mind-set so that we could create safe and fair space for all the genders.

Director                              : Vijay Kenkre

Writer                                 : Shweta Pendse

Group                                 : Royal Theatre, Mumbai, Maharshtra

Language                            : Marathi

Duration                             : 120 mins

Date                                    : 14 Feb. 2025

About Paly :- “38 Krishna Villa” is a thought-provoking play that delves into the complexities of human relationships, literature, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. Written by Dr.Shweta Pendse, the play revolves around the intense and emotional conversation between two characters, Nandini Chitre and Devdutt Kamat, which unfolds over two hours.

The play begins with Nandini’s literary accusation against Devdutt, a renowned writer, which sparks a heated debate between the two. As the conversation progresses, the audience is drawn into the intellectual and emotional twists and turns of their lives. Despite their differences, the two characters engage in a continuous dialogue, revealing their life stories and intertwining time and space.

Overall, “38 Krishna Villa” is a masterpiece of contemporary Marathi theatre, offering a thought-provoking and emotionally charged experience that will leave audiences pondering the complexities of human relationships and the power of literature..

About Playwrights :-

Shweta Pendse, a talented playwright, theatre is not just a passion, but a way of life. Her latest play, 38 Krishna Villa, has been making waves in the theatre circuit. 38 Krishna Villa is a unique play that breaks away from traditional Marathi theatre. It is a real-time, two-character dialogue play that explores the complexities of human relationships. The play has received rave reviews from audiences and critics alike, and Shweta’s writing has been praised for its nuance and depth.

In conclusion, Shweta’s journey as a playwright is a testament to the power of theatre to inspire, educate, and entertain. Her play, 38 Krishna Villa, is a must-see for anyone who lovestheatre, and her future projects promise to be just as exciting and innovative. As we look tothe future of theatre, talented playwrights like Shweta will continue to push the boundariesof the medium, challenging us to think, feel, and imagine in new and exciting ways.

About Director :- Vijay Kenkre is an Indian director and actor. With a prolific career, he hasmade a significant impact on the Indian theatre scene. As a director, Kenkre has an impressive repertoire of over 110 plays to his credit. From his early days directing Shakespeare’s Othello in Marathi to his later forays into comedy with works by Neil Simon and Sai Paranjape, Kenkre emphasizes the inherently collaborative nature of theatre. He stresses that a theatre performance comes alive thrice: when the playwright scripts the play, when the director interprets the script, and finally, when the play is presented to the audience.In addition to his theatre work, Kenkre has also made appearances in films. His moviecredits include Hawa Hawaee (2007), Gola Berij (2012), and Bhai – Vyakti Ki Valli (2019),directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and many more. Kenkre’s contributions to Indian theatre andcinema are a testament to his dedication, creativity, and enduring passion for the arts.

Director’s Note:- 38 Krishna villa – The story line of this play was narrated to me by Dr. Shweta Pendse a few years ago. I liked the story line, but I couldn’t imagine how it would transform into a play. So, I told Shweta to write the complete play, and then we would discuss it. A considerable amount of time passed, and Shweta and I didn’t discuss the play much. The topic had slipped from my mind, and suddenly during the COVID period, Shweta surprised me by sending the complete play for me to read. I immediately started reading it.

In the play “38 Krishna villa,” there are only two characters: Devdatt Kamat and Nandini Chitre. The play appears to be about the conflict between them, as they stand against each other. However, this is just the starting point; the play encompasses much more than that.

Speaking about the structure of “38 Krishna villa,” the play is continuous, meaning it is a single-act play. Given its theme, it should be structured this way. The play is word-centric and also about ‘written words’, meaning it is about literature.

I realized that staging this play and determining its form is challenging, meaning it is an arduous task. The term “conceptual director” used by Amol Palekar came to mind. Staging this single-act play and performing it is very difficult. Bringing the characters of Devdatt Kamat and Nandini Chitre to life was a significant challenge for the actors. I needed two actors who could speak excellent Marathi. There was no question about who Nandini would be because the writer herself is an excellent actress, and her nature and personality suit Nandini’s perfectly. Therefore, the casting of Nandini was done as a good actress, not just because she wrote the play. During the rehearsal process, her being a writer was beneficial to me, and perhaps to her as an actress. Now, the question was who would play Devdatt. While thinking about it, Dr. Girish Oak came to mind. Although “38 krishna villa” is a single-entry play, I made small segments of it. There are discussions between Nandini and the other character. The nature of these discussions varies; sometimes they are accusatory, sometimes explanatory, and sometimes related to the creative process. To achieve the desired effect, I made such segments in the first act. The structure of the second act is different, so its nature changes. There was a lot of discussion during rehearsals about how the characters would be, how they would speak, and how they would walk. Without seeming awkward anywhere, the character confidently presents his point and convinces the other person.

About Group :-

Our drama group is a dynamic and creative collective of individuals passionate about storytelling and performance. We come together to explore the world of theatre, developing our skills in acting, directing, and playwriting.

Our mission is to:

– Provide a platform for self-expression and creativity

– Foster teamwork and collaboration among members

– Develop confidence and public speaking skills through performance

– Produce high-quality, engaging productions for our community

Through rehearsals and performances, we delve into various genres, styles, and themes. Our group

values:

– Inclusivity and respect for diverse perspectives

– Support and encouragement for individual growth

– Creativity and experimentation in our craft

– Fun and enjoyment in the process

Cast And Credit :-

• Writer:- Dr. Shweta Pendse
• Director:- Vijay Kenkre
• Backdrop:- Sandesh Bendre
• Lighting:- Sheetal Talpade
• Music:- Ajit Parab
• Costumes:- Mangal Kenkre
• Makeup:- Rajesh Parab
• Hairstyling:- Sandhya Kharat
• Assistant Directors:-

– Sushil Swami

– Dhanesh Potdar

• Assistant Producer:- Utkarsh Mehta
• Backdrop Creation:- Praveen Gawli and Group
• Lighting Equipment:-

– Vilas Humane

– Gajendra Vani

– Vedant Arts

• Lighting Assistants:-

– Tushar Amberkar

– Arun Jaiswal

• Music Arrangement:- Nitin Pawar, Vikrant Waze, Akash Shirke
• Costume Department:- Vikas Mhatre
• Stage Management:- Atish Pawar, Haridas Lohar
• Advertising Concept:- Akshar Shede
• Anchor:- Shrikant Tatkare
• Producer:- Mihir Gawli
• Cast Introduction:-

– Nandini Chitre played by Dr. Shweta Pendse

– Devdatt Kamat played by Dr. Girish Oak

• Written by:- Dr. Shweta Pendse
• Directed by:- Vijay Kenkre
• Produced by:- Royal Theatre